Effect of tai chi exercise on cognition function and functional fitness in elderly women with dementia

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doi:2015.24.2.169

Exerc Sci > Volume 24(2); 2015 > Article

Exercise Science 2015;24(2): 169-175. doi: https://doi.org/10.15857/ksep.2015.24.2.169

태극권 운동이 여성치매노인의 인지기능 및 기능체력에 미치는 영향

오산산¹, 강동근¹, 계홍경¹, 박정준²

¹부산대학교 스포츠과학과
²부산대학교

Effect of tai chi exercise on cognition function and functional fitness in elderly women with dementia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Tai Chi on cognitive function and functional fitness in elderly women with dementia.
METHODS:
The subjects were 40 elderly women with dementia, aged over 65 years old. They were randomly divided into Tai Chi group(TG, n=20) or control group(CG, n=20). Tai Chi exercise was composed of 60 min/day, 3 days/week, for 12 weeks. The intensity of Tai Chi exercise was 10-11 RPE for week-1 to 6 and 12-13 RPE for week-7 to 12. Before and after Tai chi exercise training, Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea(MMSE-K) test and Senior Fitness Test(SFT) were performed to measure cognitive function and functional fitness, respectively. SPSS Ver. 21.0 was used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS:
After 12 weeks of Tai Chi exercise program, there was a significant interaction between group and time in MMSE-K(p<.001). TG significantly increased MMSE-K(p<.001), but CG did not. There were also significant interactions between group and time in arm curl (p=.028), chair sit-and-reach (p<.001), 6-min walking (p<.001), and 2.44 m up-and-go (p<.001). TG significantly improved chair sit-and-reach test(p<.001), 6-min walking test(p<.001), and 2.44 m up-and-go test(p<.001), but did not change others. In CG, however, arm curl(p<.001), 30-second chair stand(p=.028), back scratch(p=.01), chair sit-and-reach(p<.001), 6-min walking(p<.001), and 2.44 m up-and-go(p<.001) had gotten worse significantly. The change in MMSE-K was not related with the changes in any functional fitness.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings indicate that cognitive function and most of functional fitness in elderly women with dementia can be improved by Tai Chi exercise, but can become worse without exercise in even 12 weeks. Thus, it suggests that Tai Chi is a good exercise to be recommend to elderly women with dementia to improve their cognitive function as well as functional fitness.

Key words: tai chi, elderly mild dementia women, cognition function, functional fitness