| Author: | Sun, Wen |
| Title: | The cognitive effects and the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of qigong in depressed older adults : a randomized controlled trial |
| Advisors: | Tsang, Hector (RS) |
| Degree: | Ph.D. |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Subject: | Qi gong -- Therapeutic use Depression in old age Cognition disorders Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Pages: | vii, 180 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Background: Depression is one of the most common geriatric mental disorders. Approximately one third of older population worldwide have depressive symptoms. The depressed older adults are commonly found to exhibit cognitive deficits that can further affect daily functioning and mood disorders. However, current available antidepressant treatments show limited effects in alleviating cognitive symptoms in depression. Therefore, identifying innovative and effective interventions to improve cognitive function is urgently needed for these individuals. The study aims to examine the cognitive effects of qigong and to further the understanding of neuroscientific mechanisms of its beneficial effects in older adults with depressive symptoms. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial was performed to primarily examine the effect of Baduanjin qigong intervention on global cognitive function, to evaluate the effects on attention, inhibitory control, and working memory, and to explore possible neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects. Older adults with depressive symptoms were recruited from community and randomly allocated into the intervention group or waitlist control group. The intervention group received a 12-week Baduanjin qigong training. The primary and secondary outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Results: This study identified statistically significant improvement of global cognitive function in the Baduanjin group as the primary outcome compared to the waitlist groups. As to secondary outcomes, there were between group differences in cognitive performance of attention and inhibitory control. The results did not identify significant changes in working memory. ERP investigation revealed that P3 amplitudes were enhanced after intervention and was observed to mediate the relationship between Baduanjin training and cognitive improvements related to inhibitory control. Discussion and Implications: The main study provides feasible and efficacious evidence for the cognitive effects of qigong exercise. Our results support that qigong has positive effects on cognitive ability which might be associated with corresponding neural changes in older adults with depressive symptoms. Therefore, the findings recommend that Baduanjin is a safe and suitable intervention for older adults with depressive symptoms to helps bring cognitive and brain function improvement. These therapeutic effects might be explained by physical exercise and mindfulness elements of qigong practice. Despite some positive findings in this pioneering study, conclusions on the cognitive effects and underlying brain mechanisms of qigong in depression cannot be fully confirmed. The findings need to be further tested in better designed and larger scale research. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | open access |
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