ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B

Acta Psychologica Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (8): 1243-1254.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2023.01243

• Reports of Empirical Studies • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Dynamic changes on brain function during early stage of Tai Chi training: A motor imagery-based fMRI study

LI Lin1,2(), ZHANG Xiaoyou1,2, XU Yakui1, ZONG Boyi1,2, ZHAO Wenrui6, ZHAO Ge1, YAO Meng1, ZHAN Zhuxuan, YIN Dazhi3,4, FAN Mingxia5   

  1. 1College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    2Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University; Shanghai 200241, China
    3School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
    4Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
    5Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
    6College of Physical Education and Health Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinghua 321004, China
  • Received:2022-05-31 Published:2023-08-25 Online:2023-05-16
  • Contact: LI Lin E-mail:lilin.xtt@163.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271096);National Natural Science Foundation of China(81471651);Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University.

Abstract:

Accumulating evidence suggests that regular participation in physical exercise, especially structured exercise with complex movement patterns like Tai Chi, is linked to change in brain function as measured by spontaneous and task-evoked neural activities. Understanding the changes in neurological activities during the early stages of motor skill learning would facilitate more effective teaching and coaching, but research on brain function during the early stages of Tai Chi training has not been conducted. Based on this, we conducted a longitudinal study in which functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to collect data on brain function and behavioral measures during the early stage of Tai Chi training at multiple time points.

Nineteen college students with no prior Tai Chi experience were recruited for this study and were placed in a 14-week Tai Chi training program Of note, Tai Chi training session was recorded in order to evaluate the quality of Tai Chi form and its skill level (conducted by professor specializing in Tai Chi). Outcome measures were conducted at Week 2, Week 8, and Week 14. Meanwhile, 10 age- and sex-matched college students were considered as controls, who were asked to maintain normal lifestyle and schedule the same outcome measurements at baseline and Week 14. A Siemens 3.0 T MRI scanner was used to synchronously collect data on brain function while participants performed a motor imagery task. Group differences on Tai Chi skill level, temporal congruence, and functional activations were investigated using ANOVA while Pearson product-moment correlation was performed to examine relationships between them.

Behavioral results showed a learning curve on Tai Chi skill level from slow (Week 2 to Week 8) to fast (after Week 8) as the quality of motor imagery gradually improved. fMRI results showed a similar pattern of change on brain activity, which changed slowly (Week 2 to Week 8) and increased fastly (after Week 8). Such behavioral changes on skill level were significantly linked to functional activation of the left superior temporal gyrus and the left precuneus.

The learning of motor skills follows a pattern of “slow first, fast later”, which is supported by changes on brain activity in the left superior temporal gyrus and the left precuneus. In addition, Tai Chi is a type of a motor-cognitive exercise with relatively complex movement and its unique routine provides learners with the opportunity to optimize brain function.

Key words: Tai Chi, motor skill learning, motor imagery, fMRI