Wu Meng-Tien, Tang Pei-Fang, Tseng Wen-Yih Isaac, Hsu Yung-Chin, Chen Yu-Jen, Goh Joshua O S, Chou Tai-Li, Chang Yu-Kai, Gau Susan Shur-Fen, Lan Ching
School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yonghe Cardinal Tien Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Front Aging Neurosci. 2021 Feb 15;12:602191. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.602191. eCollection 2020.
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. Thirty-eight eligible participants were randomly assigned to a TCC group ( = 19) and a control group ( = 19). Cognitive task-switching and physical performances were collected before and after training. Brain diffusion spectrum MR images were acquired before training and the general fractional anisotropy (GFA) of each target white matter tract group was calculated to indicate baseline white matter integrity of that group. Correlation and regression analyses between these GFAs and post-training task-switching improvement were analyzed using adjusted -values. After 12 weeks, significant task-switching and physical performance improvements were found only in the TCC group. Moreover, higher baseline GFA of the prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal loop fibers ( = -0.63, = 0.009), but not of the prefronto-parietal/occipital ( = -0.55, = 0.026) and callosal ( = -0.35, = 0.189) fiber groups, was associated with greater reductions of task-switching errors after the TCC training. Multiple regression analysis revealed that baseline GFA of the prefronto-striato-thalamo-prefrontal loop fibers was the only independent white matter integrity predictor of task-switching error reductions after TCC training (β = -0.620, adjusted R change = 0.265, = 0.009). These findings not only highlight the important role of baseline integrity of the prefronto-striatal circuits in influencing the extent of positive cognitive task-switching effects from short-term TCC training, but also implicate that preserving good white matter integrity in the aging process may be crucial in order to gain the best cognitive effects of exercise interventions.
太极拳（TCC）练习已被证明可改善老年人的认知任务转换表现，但这种积极效果的程度因人而异。过去的研究还表明，脑白质完整性可以预测认知和运动学习的行为收益。因此，在这项随机对照试验（NCT02270320）中，我们研究了在中年和老年人中，12周太极拳训练后，三个目标白质束组的基线完整性是否能预测任务转换能力的改善。38名符合条件的参与者被随机分为太极拳组（n = 19）和对照组（n = 19）。在训练前后收集认知任务转换和身体表现。在训练前采集脑扩散频谱磁共振图像，并计算每个目标白质束组的一般各向异性分数（GFA），以指示该组的基线白质完整性。使用校正后的p值分析这些GFA与训练后任务转换改善之间的相关性和回归分析。12周后，仅在太极拳组中发现了显著的任务转换和身体表现改善。此外，前额叶 - 纹状体 - 丘脑 - 前额叶环路纤维的较高基线GFA（r = -0.63，p = 0.009），而非前额叶 - 顶叶/枕叶（r = -0.55，p = 0.026）和胼胝体（r = -0.35，p = 0.189）纤维组，与太极拳训练后任务转换错误的更大减少相关。多元回归分析显示，前额叶 - 纹状体 - 丘脑 - 前额叶环路纤维的基线GFA是太极拳训练后任务转换错误减少的唯一独立白质完整性预测因子（β = -0.620，调整后的R变化 = 0.265，p = 0.009）。这些发现不仅突出了前额叶 - 纹状体回路基线完整性在影响短期太极拳训练产生的积极认知任务转换效果程度方面的重要作用，还暗示在衰老过程中保持良好的白质完整性对于获得运动干预的最佳认知效果可能至关重要。
