School Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Front Public Health. 2022 Sep 29;10:968642. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.968642. eCollection 2022.
Cognitive function is essential in ensuring the quality of life of the elderly. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Baduanjin imagery and Baduanjin movement (a traditional Chinese health exercise, TCHE) on cognitive function in the elderly using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
72 participants with a mean age of 66.92 years (SD = 4.77) were recruited for this study. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the Baduanjin imagery, the Baduanjin exercise, and the Control. Stroop task was used to record the accuracy and reaction times, and a near-infrared spectral brain imaging system was used to monitor the brain's oxy-hemoglobin concentration responses.
(1) For the reaction times of Stroop incongruent tasks, the main effect of the test phase ( = 114.076, < 0.001) and the interaction effect between test phase and group ( = 10.533, < 0.001) were all significant. The simple effect analysis further demonstrated that the reaction times of the Baduanjin imagery group and Baduanjin exercise group in the post-test was faster than that in the pre-test ( < 0.001); (2) Analysis of fNIRS data showed the significant interaction effect ( = 2.554, = 0.013) between the test phase and group in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Further analysis showed that, during the post-test incongruent tasks, the oxy-Hb variations were significantly higher in participants of the Baduanjin imagery group ( = 0.005) and Baduanjin exercise group ( = 0.002) than in the control group; For the right inferior frontal gyrus, the interaction between the test phase and group was significant ( = 2.060, = 0.044). Further analysis showed that, during the post-test incongruent tasks, the oxy-Hb variations were significantly higher in participants of the Baduanjin imagery group than in the control group ( = 0.001).
Baduanjin imagery and exercise positively affect cognitive performance; Baduanjin imagery and exercise activated the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Baduanjin imagery activated the right inferior frontal gyrus, while Baduanjin exercise could not.
认知功能对于确保老年人的生活质量至关重要。本研究旨在使用功能近红外光谱（fNIRS）探讨八段锦意象和八段锦运动（一种传统的中国保健运动，TCHE）对老年人认知功能的影响。
本研究共招募了 72 名平均年龄为 66.92 岁（SD=4.77）的参与者。参与者被随机分配到三个组：八段锦意象组、八段锦运动组和对照组。采用斯特鲁普任务记录准确性和反应时间，使用近红外光谱脑成像系统监测大脑氧合血红蛋白浓度的反应。
（1）对于斯特鲁普不一致任务的反应时间，测试阶段的主效应（ = 114.076， < 0.001）和测试阶段与组之间的交互效应（ = 10.533， < 0.001）均具有统计学意义。进一步的简单效应分析表明，八段锦意象组和八段锦运动组在测试后的反应时间比测试前更快（ < 0.001）；（2）fNIRS 数据分析显示，在左背外侧前额叶皮质中，测试阶段和组之间存在显著的交互效应（ = 2.554， = 0.013）。进一步分析表明，在测试后的不一致任务中，八段锦意象组（ = 0.005）和八段锦运动组（ = 0.002）的参与者的氧合血红蛋白变化明显高于对照组；对于右额下回，测试阶段和组之间的交互作用具有统计学意义（ = 2.060， = 0.044）。进一步分析表明，在测试后的不一致任务中，八段锦意象组的参与者的氧合血红蛋白变化明显高于对照组（ = 0.001）。
八段锦意象和运动对认知表现有积极影响；八段锦意象和运动激活了左背外侧前额叶皮质；八段锦意象激活了右额下回，而八段锦运动则不能。
