Mind-body exercise improves cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment and centrally modulates the hippocampus/ACC: A multi-modal MRI study

This study aims to investigate the modulation effect of Baduanjin (a popular mind-body exercise) on MCI. 69 patients were randomized to Baduanjin, brisk walking, or an education control group for 24 weeks. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans were applied at baseline and at the end of the experiment. Compared to the brisk walking and control groups, the Baduanjin group experienced significantly increased MoCA scores. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) analysis showed significantly decreased ALFF values in the right hippocampus (0.01–0.08 Hz) and increased values in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, slow-5 band) in the Baduanjin group compared to the control group. Further, ALFF value changes in the right hippocampus and bilateral ACC were significantly associated with corresponding MoCA scores across all groups. We also found increased gray matter volume in the right hippocampus and bilateral ACC and increased resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the hippocampus and right angular gyrus in the Baduanjin group compared to the control group. Our results demonstrate the potential of Baduanjin for the treatment of MCI.
Source: NeuroImage: Clinical - Category: Radiology Source Type: research