None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
New Zealand, like other countries, has an ageing population. By 2034 it is expected that more than a fifth of the New Zealand population will be older than 65 years. Maintaining brain health into older age to minimise the effect of age-related declines in memory, cognitive and motor functions is a priority aim of New Zealand Healthy Ageing Strategy. It is known that exercise has positive benefits for brain health but there is little information available about effect of long-term participation in low-level balance related exercise. Tai Chi (TC) is a low-impact form of exercise that involves coordinated movements, challenges balance, has cognitive involvement and occurs as a 3-dimensional movement. For some practitioners it is a lifelong habitual practice and as such is a good model for investigating long-term engagement with balance related exercise. The vestibular system has an important role in balance and there is a growing awareness of its importance in cognition. There is some evidence in human studies that poor vestibular function is associated with reduced hippocampal volumes. A recent study that examined the association between age-related variation in vestibular function and brain structure in multiple brain areas that receive vestibular input and reported that the shape and volume of hippocampal and entorhinal cortical areas were strongly related to vestibular function. We are interested in exploring the relationship between brain structure measured by MRI, vestibular and balance function and habitual exercise. We will compare the MRI and vestibular function tests of people who are expert Tai Chi practitioners and age matched controls who have not participated in organised and regular exercise over the last 5 years.
Interventions
This cross-sectional observational study will recruit 15 healthy older adults between the ages of 60-65 years who have been regularly practicing Tai chi (TC) for at least 5 years from TC classes in the community. Participants undergo a battery of tests over 2 X 2.5 hour visits within a 2 week period including Cognitive tests, MRI, Vestibular testing and Balance testing and spatial navigation testing.
Sponsors
Auckland University of Technology
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
60 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Over all inclusion criteria: Adult between the ages of 60-65 inclusive with a t-MoCA of 19 or more. In addition: Exercise group: Have participated in a community Tai Chi class once a week or more most weeks for the past 5 or more years. Control group: Have not participated in a regular group exercise programme over the past 5 years.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion Criteria both groups: MRI exclusions: Cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator Retained cardiac pacing wires Surgical clips in the brain Prosthetic heart valves (unless MR compatable) Electronic inner ear implants Metal fragments in your eyes Electronic stimulators Implanted pumps Permanent eye liner claustrophobia Diagnosis of a neurological condition Previous diagnosis of a vestibular condition (bar a single episode of BPPV) Medically required to restrict head movements Exclusion criteria specific to the control group Have participated in an exercise group for more than 12 weeks in the previous year.
Outcome results
None listed