Effects of Mindfulness-Based Tai Chi Chuan on Physical Performance and Cognitive Function among Cognitive Frailty Older Adults: A Six-Month Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background The Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan on physical performance and cognitive function among cognitive frailty older adults. Design A single-blind,three-arm randomized controlled trial. Setting Three communities in Daqing, China. Participants The study sample comprised 93 men and women aged 65 years or older who were able to walk more than 10 m without helping tools, scored 0.5 on Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and absence of concurrent dementia, identified pre-frailty (scored 1-2 on Fried Frailty Criteria) and frailty older adults (scored 3-5 on Fried Frailty Criteria). Intervention Subjects were randomly allocated to three groups: Group1, which received mindfulness intervention (formal and informal mindfulness practices); Group 2, which received Tai-Chi Chuan intervention; Group 3, which received MTCC intervention. Measurements The primary outcomes was cognitive frailty rate(measured by Fried Frailty Criteria and Clinical Dementia Rating-CDR), the secondary outcome were cognitive function (measured by Min-Mental State Examination-MMES) and physical level (measured by Short physical performance battery-SPPB, Timed up and Go test-TUG and the 30-second Chair test). They were all assessed at Time 1-baseline, Time 2-after the end of 6-month intervention and the follow up (Time 3-half year after the end of 6-month intervention). Results The baseline characteristics did not differ among the groups. Improvements in the cognitive function (MMES), physical performance (SPPB, TUG, 30-second Chair test) were significantly difference between time-group interaction (p<.05). The rate of CF was significantly different among groups at 6-month follow-up period (chi 2=6.37, p<.05). A lower prevalence of frailty and better cognitive function and physical performance were found in the Group 3 compared with other two groups at the follow-up period (p<.05). Conclusions MTCC seems to be effectively reverse CF, improving the cognitive and physical function among older adults, suggesting that MTCC is a preferably intervention option in community older adults with cognitive frailty.