Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Cognitive decline represents a critical clinical and public health issue that adversely affects the quality of life for older patients and their families. This concern was exacerbated by the reduced engagement in outdoor activities among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting substantial challenges to aging societies. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of health qigong combined with Tibetan dance on working memory in middle-aged and elderly women, and to determine its potential as a preventive strategy against cognitive disorders.
METHODS: A pilot study was conducted to compare the effects of a Health Qigong exercise intervention with those of everyday life and sports routines. The primary outcome measure was working memory assessed using a 2-Back working memory task research paradigm. Between July and September 2021, a total of 33 women were divided into four groups: two middle-aged groups (N = 18, with 8 women in the experimental group and 10 in the control group) and two elderly groups (N = 15, with 7 in the experimental group and 8 in the control group). Participants in the experimental groups underwent a 10-week intervention, consisting of three 60-min sessions per week. Each session included a warm-up, Health Qigong combined with Tibetan dance, and a cool-down. Throughout the study, all participants continued their daily routines. Response times and error rates were analyzed using a mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance.
RESULTS: A simple effects analysis revealed that Health Qigong combined with Tibetan dance significantly enhanced 2-Back response time and error rate in the middle-aged group. In contrast, the 2-Back error rate significantly increased in the elderly control group that did not receive the intervention (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Health Qigong demonstrates beneficial effects on middle-aged and elderly women. Combining Health Qigong with dance may serve as a preventive measure against cognitive disorders. This pioneering study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, assesses the new possibility of Health Qigong and dance, with the objective to offer more diverse indoor exercise options for middle-aged and elderly women.
METHODS: A pilot study was conducted to compare the effects of a Health Qigong exercise intervention with those of everyday life and sports routines. The primary outcome measure was working memory assessed using a 2-Back working memory task research paradigm. Between July and September 2021, a total of 33 women were divided into four groups: two middle-aged groups (N = 18, with 8 women in the experimental group and 10 in the control group) and two elderly groups (N = 15, with 7 in the experimental group and 8 in the control group). Participants in the experimental groups underwent a 10-week intervention, consisting of three 60-min sessions per week. Each session included a warm-up, Health Qigong combined with Tibetan dance, and a cool-down. Throughout the study, all participants continued their daily routines. Response times and error rates were analyzed using a mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance.
RESULTS: A simple effects analysis revealed that Health Qigong combined with Tibetan dance significantly enhanced 2-Back response time and error rate in the middle-aged group. In contrast, the 2-Back error rate significantly increased in the elderly control group that did not receive the intervention (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Health Qigong demonstrates beneficial effects on middle-aged and elderly women. Combining Health Qigong with dance may serve as a preventive measure against cognitive disorders. This pioneering study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, assesses the new possibility of Health Qigong and dance, with the objective to offer more diverse indoor exercise options for middle-aged and elderly women.
摘要：
目的：认知功能下降是一个严重的临床和公共卫生问题，对老年患者及其家属的生活质量产生不利影响。在COVID-19大流行期间，老年人参与户外活动的减少加剧了这种担忧，对老龄化社会提出了重大挑战。本研究旨在探讨健身气功结合藏族舞蹈对中老年女性工作记忆的影响,并确定其作为认知障碍预防策略的潜力。
方法：进行了一项初步研究，以比较健康气功运动干预与日常生活和运动常规的效果。主要结果测量是使用2-Back工作记忆任务研究范式评估的工作记忆。在2021年7月至9月期间，共有33名女性被分为四组：两个中年组（N=18，实验组8名女性，对照组10名）和两个老年组（N=15，实验组7名，对照组8名）。实验组的参与者接受了为期10周的干预，包括每周三个60分钟的课程。每次会议都包括热身，健身气功结合藏族舞蹈，冷静一下.在整个研究过程中,所有参与者都继续他们的日常生活.使用混合设计重复测量方差分析分析了响应时间和错误率。
结果：简单效应分析表明，健身气功结合藏族舞蹈可以显着提高中年组的2-Back反应时间和错误率。相比之下,未接受干预的老年对照组的2-Back错误率显着增加（p<0.05）。
结论：健身气功对中老年妇女具有有益作用。将健身气功与舞蹈相结合可以作为认知障碍的预防措施。这项开创性研究是在COVID-19大流行期间进行的，评估健身气功和舞蹈的新可能性，目的是为中老年妇女提供更多样化的室内锻炼选择。
方法：进行了一项初步研究，以比较健康气功运动干预与日常生活和运动常规的效果。主要结果测量是使用2-Back工作记忆任务研究范式评估的工作记忆。在2021年7月至9月期间，共有33名女性被分为四组：两个中年组（N=18，实验组8名女性，对照组10名）和两个老年组（N=15，实验组7名，对照组8名）。实验组的参与者接受了为期10周的干预，包括每周三个60分钟的课程。每次会议都包括热身，健身气功结合藏族舞蹈，冷静一下.在整个研究过程中,所有参与者都继续他们的日常生活.使用混合设计重复测量方差分析分析了响应时间和错误率。
结果：简单效应分析表明，健身气功结合藏族舞蹈可以显着提高中年组的2-Back反应时间和错误率。相比之下,未接受干预的老年对照组的2-Back错误率显着增加（p<0.05）。
结论：健身气功对中老年妇女具有有益作用。将健身气功与舞蹈相结合可以作为认知障碍的预防措施。这项开创性研究是在COVID-19大流行期间进行的，评估健身气功和舞蹈的新可能性，目的是为中老年妇女提供更多样化的室内锻炼选择。
