Feasibility Study of Tai Chi for Cognitively Impaired Older Adults (TCM)

Effects of 12-week Tai Chi Program on Physical Function, Depression, and Quality of Life Among Cognitively Impaired Older Adults: A Feasibility Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the feasibility of a 12-week program of Tai Chi for memory (TCM) among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia and to determine the effects of TCM on physical functioning, depression, and health-related QoL. Two experimental groups will be recruited for inclusion criteria of community-residing older adults with a diagnosis of either MCI or Dementia.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cognitive Impairment
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Tai Chi for memory

Detailed Description

The purpose of the study are to determine the acceptability of a 12-week program of Tai Chi for memory (TCM) among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia; and to determine the effects of TCM on physical functioning, depression, and health-related QoL.

A quasi-experimental design was used with two groups classified according to the level of their cognitive impairment (MCI vs. Dementia).

Depression, health-related QoL, and physical functioning including grip strength, balance, flexibility, and mobility were measured before and after the 12-week TCM program.

Depression was measured using the Korean version of the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Health-related QoL was measured using the 12-item Short Form survey (SF-12). Grip strength was assessed using a digital hand dynamometer. Flexibility was assessed using the standard sit-and-reach test. Balance was measured using the one-leg-standing balance test. Mobility was assessed using the timed up and go test. Paired and independent t-tests will be used to compare the effects of TCM within and between groups.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 41
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Korea, Republic of
  • Daejeon, Korea, Republic of, 35010
    • Tai Chi for health institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 75 years to 90 years (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• community-residing older adults aged 75 years or older,
• registered at the public dementia prevention centers for dementia screening by health professionals with the diagnosis of either MCI or dementia,
• Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) score of 22 or lower,
• agreed to participate in the Tai Chi program twice a week for 12 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

• participated in any formal regular exercise program during the previous 6 months, and

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Tai Chi for memory; TCM is a standardized type of Tai Chi for health developed by Dr. Lam specifically for those who experience or want to prevent cognitive problems. TCM, consisting of 12 Sun-style and Yang-style Tai Chi movements, can be provided while sitting and while standing with five blocked movement sets so that cognitively impaired individuals (MCI vs. dementia) are able to follow them.

Behavioral: Tai Chi for memory; The adapted form of TCM will be provided at 60 minutes per session, twice a week for 12 weeks by a certified Tai Chi instructor who had experience in teaching older adults with cognitive impairments.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
physical function-grip strength	grip strength by assessed in both hands using a digital hand dynamometer (0-90 kg; Labisen KS-301)	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores
physical function - flexibility	by the standard sit-and-reach test (SSRT)	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores
physical function - balance	assessed using a one-leg-standing balance test (OLST)	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores
physical function - mobility	assessed by the Timed Up and Go test (TUG)	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
emotional functioning - depression	assessed by the short form of the Korean version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K) with 16 items (yes/no). higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores
Short Form Health Survey 12 (SF12)	Short Form Health Survey 12, which consists of eight dimensions: general health, physical functioning, role physical, body pain, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. two summary scores for the physical and mental components of health-related QoL are calculated by using the weighted means for the eight domains.	changes from pretest to 12 week posttest scores

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chungnam National University
• Collaborators: National Research Foundation, Singapore
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rhayun Song, PhD, Chungnam National University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 28, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): January 10, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 12, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 17, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): November 29, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 1, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 29, 2022
• Last Verified: November 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: dementia; Tai Chi; cognitive impairment
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction
• Other Study ID Numbers: ChungnamNU3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: upon request, study protocol and the data without individual IDs can be shared with other researchers.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: January-December, 2024
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: researchers or reviewers who requested for clinical study or meta-analysis
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: Study Protocol; Clinical Study Report (CSR)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No