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ISSN: 2574 -1241
ISSN: 2574 -1241
Received: December 09, 2025; Published: January 21, 2025
*Corresponding author: Robert W McGee, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina, United States
DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2025.60.009430
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.
InstructionWhat 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.
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International Association of Landscape Archaeology, Czech Glass Society, Czech Republic
Department of Chemistry, Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Pharmaco-kinetics, dynamics and Drug Metabolism, Touro College of Pharmacy, USA
Professor of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Associate Professor at Department of Breast and Thyorid Surgey, Chongqing General Hospital, China
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