Integrity of the Prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal Loop Predicts Tai Chi Chuan Training Effects on Cognitive Task-switching in Middle-aged and Older Adults.

Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise has been shown to improve cognitive task-switching performance in older adults, but the extent of this positive effect varies among individuals. Past research also shows that brain white matter integrity could predict behavioral gains of cognitive and motor learning. Therefore, in this randomized controlled trial (NCT02270320), we examined whether baseline integrity of three target white matter tract groups was predictive of task-switching improvement after 12-week TCC training in middle-aged and older adults.

Task-Switching Performance Improvements After Tai Chi Chuan Training Are Associated With Greater Prefrontal Activation in Older Adults.

Studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) training has benefits on task-switching ability. However, the neural correlates underlying the effects of TCC training on task-switching ability remain unclear. Using task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with a numerical Stroop paradigm, we investigated changes of prefrontal brain activation and behavioral performance during task-switching before and after TCC training and examined the relationships between changes in brain activation and task-switching behavioral performance.

Tai chi chuan exercise for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Exercise training is the cornerstone of rehabilitation for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although high-intensity exercise has significant cardiovascular benefits, light-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise also offers health benefits. With lower-intensity workouts, patients may be able to exercise for longer periods of time and increase the acceptance of exercise, particularly in unfit and elderly patients.

Tai chi chuan in medicine and health promotion.

Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi) is a Chinese traditional mind-body exercise and recently, it becomes popular worldwide. During the practice of Tai Chi, deep diaphragmatic breathing is integrated into body motions to achieve a harmonious balance between body and mind and to facilitate the flow of internal energy (Qi). Participants can choose to perform a complete set of Tai Chi or selected movements according to their needs.

Pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound is useful to assess vasomotor response in patients with multiple system atrophy and well correlated with tilt table study.

The study aim was to assess sympathetic vasomotor response (SVR) by using pulsed wave Doppler (PWD) ultrasound in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and correlate with the tilt table study. We recruited 18 male patients and 10 healthy men as controls. The SVR of the radial artery was evaluated by PWD, using inspiratory cough as a provocative maneuver.

Cardiorespiratory function of pediatric heart transplant recipients in the early postoperative period.

In this study, we sought to assess the cardiopulmonary functions in three pediatric heart transplant recipients, two of whom are with dilated cardiomyopathy, whereas one is with cyanotic heart disease, in early postoperative period. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed using an incremental cycling at 1 mo after surgery. The results revealed that our study subjects had obvious impairment in workload, oxygen consumption, and oxygen pulse at peak exercise and ventilatory threshold at 1 mo after orthotropic heart transplantation.

Does different exercise have the same effect of health promotion for the elderly? Comparison of training-specific effect of Tai Chi and swimming on motor control.

It remains unclear whether Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) instead of swimming yields a training-specific effect on dynamic balance. The objective of the present study is to test if the practice of TCC provides a distinctive benefit of balance in the elderly. The participants in TCC (n = 32) and swimming groups (n = 20) practiced regular swimming and TCC respectively for at least 3 years before the recruitment.

The effects of physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) on glucose intolerance in older people: a nationwide study from Taiwan.

We investigated the gender-specific effects of physical activity, BMI and WC on glucose intolerance in an elderly Taiwanese population (n=1344) aged 65 and above, who participated in the Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan in 1999-2000. In this cross-sectional study, physical activity was assessed using the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for Older Adults (MBQOA). Categories of physical activity level were defined by tertiles of MBQOA scores.

Is Tai Chi Chuan effective in improving lower limb response time to prevent backward falls in the elderly?

To evaluate the training effect of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) in postural control and backward fall prevention in the elderly, balance assessment and visually guided lower limb response time were analyzed in a case-control study conducted in a community setting. Thirty-one elderly subjects (mean age: 68.2 +/- 6.

Changes of aerobic capacity, fat ratio and flexibility in older TCC practitioners: a five-year follow-up.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the 5-year changes of aerobic capacity, fat ratio and flexibility in older Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) practitioners and sedentary controls. Sixty-nine community-dwelling elderly individuals (mean age: 68.6 +/- 6.

Effect of T'ai chi chuan training on cardiovascular risk factors in dyslipidemic patients.

Objective: T'ai chi chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese exercise and is beneficial for health. Nevertheless, its effect on cardiovascular risk factors in dyslipidemic patients is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TCC training on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors in patients with dyslipidemia.

Tai Chi training for patients with coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the developed countries and many developing countries. Exercise training is the cornerstone of cardiac rehabilitation program for patients with CHD, and exercise intensities in the 50-70% heart rate reserve have been shown to improve functional capacity. However, recent studies found exercise with lower intensity also displayed benefits to CHD patients, and increased the acceptance of exercise program, particularly unfit and elderly patients.

Tai Chi and balance control.

Balance function begins to decline from middle age on, and poor balance function increases the risk of fall and injury. Suitable exercise training may improve balance function and prevent accidental falls. The coordination of visual, proprioceptive, vestibular and musculoskeletal system is important to maintain balance.

The exercise intensity of Tai Chi Chuan.

Tai Chi Chuan (TC) is a Chinese conditioning exercise and is well-known for its graceful movement. The exercise intensity of TC depends on its training style, posture and duration. Variation in training approaches result in substantial differences in exercise intensity.

Neuromuscular electric stimulation enhances endothelial vascular control and hemodynamic function in paretic upper extremities of patients with stroke.

Objective: To investigate the effects of neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES) on endothelial vascular control and hemodynamic function in patients in rehabilitation after acute stroke.

Design: Before-after trial.

Setting: Inpatients in a tertiary hospital.

Relative exercise intensity of Tai Chi Chuan is similar in different ages and gender.

This study aims to determine the relative exercise intensity of classical Yang Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) in different ages and gender. One hundred TCC practitioners (54 men and 46 women) aged 25 to 80 years participated in this investigation. Men and women were separated into three groups: young (25-44 y/o), middle-aged (45-64 y/o) and elderly (65-80 y/o).

The aerobic capacity and ventilatory efficiency during exercise in Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan practitioners.

The objective of this study was to compare cardiorespiratory responses to exercise among older Qigong participants, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) practitioners and normal sedentary controls during cycle ergometry. Thirty-six community-dwelling men with a mean age of 59.1 +/- 6.

Poor functional recovery may indicate restenosis in patients after coronary angioplasty.

Objective: To investigate whether poor response to exercise training can detect restenosis in asymptomatic patients after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: A hospital-based outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in Taiwan.

The cardiorespiratory response and energy expenditure of Tai-Chi-Qui-Gong.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiorespiratory response and energy expenditure during the practice of Tai-Chi-Qui-Gong (TCQG). Forty-seven TCQG practitioners with a mean age of 60.7 +/- 9.

Tai Chi Chuan training is associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent dilation in skin vasculature of healthy older men.

Objectives: The vascular endothelium modulates vascular tone by synthesizing and metabolizing vasoactive substances. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation declines with age. This study investigated whether Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) training could enhance endothelial function in the skin vasculature of older men.

Improvement of cardiorespiratory function after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a 3-mo training program for patients with either a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Design: Forty-four patients participated in a 3-mo outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. Graded exercise tests with gas analysis were conducted before and after training to evaluate the changes of cardiorespiratory function.

Tai Chi Chuan: an ancient wisdom on exercise and health promotion.

Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a Chinese conditioning exercise and is well known for its slow and graceful movements. Recent investigations have found that TCC is beneficial to cardiorespiratory function, strength, balance, flexibility, microcirculation and psychological profile. The long-term practice of TCC can attenuate the age decline in physical function, and consequently it is a suitable exercise for the middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Spinal cord infarction caused by cardiac tamponade.

This article describes a 16-yr-old male patient who went into shock and cardiac arrest 2 wk after surgical repair of an atrial septal defect. Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed and promptly treated, and his hemodynamic status stabilized 4 hr after the initial presentation of shock; however, paraplegia was found when the patient regained consciousness. Physicians should be alert to a possible diagnosis of spinal cord infarction in patients with complications of cardiovascular surgery, particularly when a new onset of neurologic symptoms or signs occurs.