Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients
Abstract Background Tai Chi has been shown to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its long-term effects and the related mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term Tai Chi training on motor symptoms in PD and the underlying mechanis...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Translational Neurodegeneration |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40035-022-00280-7 |
| _version_ | 1818330347389059072 |
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| author | Gen Li Pei Huang Shi-Shuang Cui Yu-Yan Tan Ya-Chao He Xin Shen Qin-Ying Jiang Ping Huang Gui-Ying He Bin-Yin Li Yu-Xin Li Jin Xu Zheng Wang Sheng-Di Chen |
| author_facet | Gen Li Pei Huang Shi-Shuang Cui Yu-Yan Tan Ya-Chao He Xin Shen Qin-Ying Jiang Ping Huang Gui-Ying He Bin-Yin Li Yu-Xin Li Jin Xu Zheng Wang Sheng-Di Chen |
| author_sort | Gen Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Tai Chi has been shown to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its long-term effects and the related mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term Tai Chi training on motor symptoms in PD and the underlying mechanisms. Methods Ninety-five early-stage PD patients were enrolled and randomly divided into Tai Chi (n = 32), brisk walking (n = 31) and no-exercise (n = 32) groups. At baseline, 6 months and 12 months during one-year intervention, all participants underwent motor symptom evaluation by Berg balance scale (BBS), Unified PD rating-scale (UPDRS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and 3D gait analysis, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), plasma cytokine and metabolomics analysis, and blood Huntingtin interaction protein 2 (HIP2) mRNA level analysis. Longitudinal self-changes were calculated using repeated measures ANOVA. GEE (generalized estimating equations) was used to assess factors associated with the longitudinal data of rating scales. Switch rates were used for fMRI analysis. False discovery rate correction was used for multiple correction. Results Participants in the Tai Chi group had better performance in BBS, UPDRS, TUG and step width. Besides, Tai Chi was advantageous over brisk walking in improving BBS and step width. The improved BBS was correlated with enhanced visual network function and downregulation of interleukin-1β. The improvements in UPDRS were associated with enhanced default mode network function, decreased L-malic acid and 3-phosphoglyceric acid, and increased adenosine and HIP2 mRNA levels. In addition, arginine biosynthesis, urea cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle and beta oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids were also improved by Tai Chi training. Conclusions Long-term Tai Chi training improves motor function, especially gait and balance, in PD. The underlying mechanisms may include enhanced brain network function, reduced inflammation, improved amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and neurotransmitter metabolism, and decreased vulnerability to dopaminergic degeneration. Trial registration This study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000036036; Registration date: August 22, 2020). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:02:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0763060bd7c14b928de73bc98099ca70 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-9158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:02:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Translational Neurodegeneration |
| spelling | doaj.art-0763060bd7c14b928de73bc98099ca702022-12-21T23:44:57ZengBMCTranslational Neurodegeneration2047-91582022-02-0111111010.1186/s40035-022-00280-7Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patientsGen Li0Pei Huang1Shi-Shuang Cui2Yu-Yan Tan3Ya-Chao He4Xin Shen5Qin-Ying Jiang6Ping Huang7Gui-Ying He8Bin-Yin Li9Yu-Xin Li10Jin Xu11Zheng Wang12Sheng-Di Chen13Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineInstitute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghai Key Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineInstitute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking UniversityDepartment of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineAbstract Background Tai Chi has been shown to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its long-term effects and the related mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term Tai Chi training on motor symptoms in PD and the underlying mechanisms. Methods Ninety-five early-stage PD patients were enrolled and randomly divided into Tai Chi (n = 32), brisk walking (n = 31) and no-exercise (n = 32) groups. At baseline, 6 months and 12 months during one-year intervention, all participants underwent motor symptom evaluation by Berg balance scale (BBS), Unified PD rating-scale (UPDRS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and 3D gait analysis, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), plasma cytokine and metabolomics analysis, and blood Huntingtin interaction protein 2 (HIP2) mRNA level analysis. Longitudinal self-changes were calculated using repeated measures ANOVA. GEE (generalized estimating equations) was used to assess factors associated with the longitudinal data of rating scales. Switch rates were used for fMRI analysis. False discovery rate correction was used for multiple correction. Results Participants in the Tai Chi group had better performance in BBS, UPDRS, TUG and step width. Besides, Tai Chi was advantageous over brisk walking in improving BBS and step width. The improved BBS was correlated with enhanced visual network function and downregulation of interleukin-1β. The improvements in UPDRS were associated with enhanced default mode network function, decreased L-malic acid and 3-phosphoglyceric acid, and increased adenosine and HIP2 mRNA levels. In addition, arginine biosynthesis, urea cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle and beta oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids were also improved by Tai Chi training. Conclusions Long-term Tai Chi training improves motor function, especially gait and balance, in PD. The underlying mechanisms may include enhanced brain network function, reduced inflammation, improved amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and neurotransmitter metabolism, and decreased vulnerability to dopaminergic degeneration. Trial registration This study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000036036; Registration date: August 22, 2020).https://doi.org/10.1186/s40035-022-00280-7Parkinson’s diseaseTai ChiMotor symptomsMechanismBrain network |
| spellingShingle | Gen Li Pei Huang Shi-Shuang Cui Yu-Yan Tan Ya-Chao He Xin Shen Qin-Ying Jiang Ping Huang Gui-Ying He Bin-Yin Li Yu-Xin Li Jin Xu Zheng Wang Sheng-Di Chen Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients Translational Neurodegeneration Parkinson’s disease Tai Chi Motor symptoms Mechanism Brain network |
| title | Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients |
| title_full | Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients |
| title_fullStr | Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients |
| title_short | Mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long-term Tai Chi training in Parkinson’s disease patients |
| title_sort | mechanisms of motor symptom improvement by long term tai chi training in parkinson s disease patients |
| topic | Parkinson’s disease Tai Chi Motor symptoms Mechanism Brain network |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40035-022-00280-7 |
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