This study examined the use and applications of tai chi and qigong, two forms of traditional Chinese medicine
[TCM] that incorporate breathing, mindfulness and moving meditation, in neuroscience. Microsoft Co-pilot, an
artificial intelligence bot, was used to find relevant studies. The studies were then summarized by the author.
The studies found that both tai chi and qigong can be effective as supplementary treatments in various areas
of neuroscience, including the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, motor and non-motor
function, cognitive impairment, stroke, dementia, memory and other neurological disorders. Tai chi and qigong
were found to reduce pain and fatigue, and to improve sleep and quality of life as well.
Keywords: Tai Chi; Qigong; Traditional Chinese Medicine; TCM; Artificial Intelligence; Microsoft Co-pilot; Neuroscience
Tai chi and qigong [pronounced chee gong] are forms of traditional
Chinese medicine [TCM]. There is dispute about the origins of
both, other than the general belief that they originated in China. Tai
chi might have originated as early as the thirteenth century, while qigong
could have originated as early as 2000 B.C.E., or perhaps even
earlier [1-5]. Tai chi and qigong have some common features, but they
also have their differences. Tai chi originated as a martial art, but in
recent decades it has been increasingly practiced for its health benefits.
Some tai chi teachers do not even mention its martial applications
except in passing. Tai chi consists of a series of postures, much like
Japanese katas (forms) or Korean poomsae. Practitioners move from
one posture to the next using transition moves [6-10]. Qigong is not
a martial art. It includes many postures, perhaps thousands, but they
are not necessarily done in sequence. It may be practiced as a single
exercise, or as a series of exercises, and may or may not include transition
moves, depending on the teacher or practitioner [4,11-14]. Tai
chi, when done properly, includes elements of qigong, so it might be
said that qigong is a subset of tai chi. Both tai chi and qigong are forms
of moving meditation. They involve mindful breathing techniques.
They both activate the body’s natural healing powers. Numerous studies
have been done on the effects of tai chi and qigong on many forms
of illness. In the West, they are sometimes used as supplements to
Western medical treatments. One difference between Western medicine
and Chinese medicine is their emphasis. Whereas Western medicine
focuses mainly on treating an existing disease, Chinese medicine
places its emphasis on preventing disease, although it is also used to
treat existing ailments.
Tai chi and qigong have both been used to treat a wide variety
of ailments [15-21]. The focus of the present study is to find studies
where either tai chi or qigong has been used to treat neurological diseases.
One simple way to find such studies would be to utilize artificial
intelligence [AI]. In recent years, AI has been used as an adjunct
research tool by medical practitioners [22-38]. We decided to use Microsoft
Copilot [39] for this study because it is one of the more popular
chatbots, and it is free to use. We gave it the following instruction.
What studies have been done on the use of tai chi or qigong in the
field of neurology? Provide references. It gave several good references,
all of which were relevant [40-45]. Song, et al. [40] studied the
impact of tai chi and qigong on motor and non-motor function and
quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. They conducted a systematic review
and meta-analysis of Parkinsonism and related disorders. They
found significant improvements in balance, falls, depression and quality
of life. Either tai chi or qigong was used over periods ranging from
2 to 6 months in the studies they found. Wang, et al. [41] conducted
a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of tai chi and
qigong on cognition in neurological disorders. The 40 randomized
controlled trials included 2,754 participants. Several neurological disorders
were included in the studies they found, such as Parkinson’s
disease, mild cognitive impairment, stroke, dementia and traumatic
brain injury. Their analysis found that tai chi and qigong were highly
effective (p < 0.05) on cognitive processing speed, visuospatial ability,
memory, executive function and global cognitive function. Another
study [42-43] examined the effectiveness of virtual tai chi, qigong and
meditation for adults with low back pain. The program lasted for 12
weeks. The results showed significant improvements in pain, movement,
sleep and quality of life. A study by Wang, et al. [44] found
that practicing tai chi mitigated the effects and mechanisms of mild
cognitive impairment in the elderly. Tai chi activated different regions
of the brain, altering their connectivity, increasing brain volume and
modulating brain-derived neurotrophic and inflammation factors.
Laskosky, et al. [45] plan to examine evidence on the effectiveness of
tai chi and qigong in the treatment of symptoms of traumatic brain
injury, such as fatigue, impaired balance, vestibular disorders, anxiety
and depression. The results of their study have not yet been reported.
The information provided by Copilot was a good start. It found
several relevant studies. However, for scholars who are serious about
researching a medical topic, Copilot or other forms of AI should not
be the final step in the research. AI can point researchers in the right
direction, and can provide useful information. However, AI is not yet
sophisticated enough to be fully trusted to give complete and accurate
results. Any information uncovered by the use of AI needs to be verified
because it can be inaccurate [46-50]. Results of other studies can
be found on PubMed [51] or other medical databases.
ISSN: 2574 -1241
Abstract
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