Wang Xiaoyan, Li Haojie
Department of Physical Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2025 Mar 4;15(3):303. doi: 10.3390/bs15030303.
This study examines the effects of three traditional Chinese mind-body exercises-Tai Chi (TC), Baduanjin (BD), and Health Qigong Yijinjing (YJJ)-on learning abilities, executive functions, and prefrontal brain connectivity in children with learning difficulties. Seventy-two children (aged 9-11) with learning difficulties were randomly assigned to TC, BD, YJJ, or a control group (CON). Intervention groups practiced for 12 weeks (45 min, three times per week), while the control group maintained their regular physical education. Assessments included Academic Performance Ranking (APR), Pupil Rating Scale (PRS), and executive functions. Granger causality analyses were conducted on the functional near-infrared spectroscopy data to derive the effective connectivity at the brain region levels. Post-intervention, all intervention groups showed significant improvements over the control group in PRS and APR scores ( < 0.05), with the TC group achieving higher PRS scores than the BD group. The TC group also demonstrated superior improvements in executive functions, particularly in inhibition and working memory. Additionally, the TC group exhibited significantly enhanced effective connectivity from the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to Brodmann area 8, indicating improved brain communication. Traditional Chinese mind-body exercises, particularly Tai Chi, improve academic performance, executive functions, and prefrontal cortex connectivity in children with learning difficulties. Tai Chi demonstrates superior outcomes, supporting its potential as an effective intervention for cognitive and academic development.
本研究考察了三种中国传统身心锻炼方式——太极拳（TC）、八段锦（BD）和健身气功易筋经（YJJ）——对学习困难儿童学习能力、执行功能和前额叶脑区连接性的影响。72名9至11岁的学习困难儿童被随机分配到太极拳组、八段锦组、易筋经组或对照组（CON）。干预组进行为期12周的锻炼（每次45分钟，每周三次），而对照组维持常规体育课。评估包括学业成绩排名（APR）、学生评定量表（PRS）和执行功能。对功能近红外光谱数据进行格兰杰因果分析，以得出脑区水平的有效连接性。干预后，所有干预组在PRS和APR分数上均比对照组有显著改善（<0.05），太极拳组的PRS分数高于八段锦组。太极拳组在执行功能方面也表现出更优的改善，尤其是在抑制和工作记忆方面。此外，太极拳组从左右背外侧前额叶皮层到布罗德曼8区的有效连接性显著增强，表明脑区沟通得到改善。中国传统身心锻炼方式，尤其是太极拳，可改善学习困难儿童的学业成绩、执行功能和前额叶皮层连接性。太极拳显示出更优的效果，支持其作为认知和学业发展有效干预手段的潜力。
