Altered Effective Connectivity of Resting-State Networks by Tai Chi Chuan in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients: A Multivariate Gran...(Li et al, 2022)

[Consul]

Altered Effective Connectivity of Resting-State Networks by Tai Chi Chuan in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients: A Multivariate Granger Causality Study
-Yuanyuan Li et al

Abstract

Numerous evidence has shown that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have changes in resting brain functional connectivity, but there is no study on the brain network effect of Tai Chi Chuan intervention in CFS. To explore the influence of Tai Chi Chuan exercise on the causal relationship between brain functional networks in patients with CFS, 21 patients with CFS and 19 healthy controls were recruited for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scale assessment before and after 1month-long training in Tai Chi Chuan. We extracted the resting brain networks using the independent component analysis (ICA) method, analyzed the changes of FC in these networks, conducted Granger causality analysis (GCA) on it, and analyzed the correlation between the difference causality value and the SF-36 scale. Compared to the healthy control group, the SF-36 scale scores of patients with CFS were lower at baseline. Meanwhile, the causal relationship between sensorimotor network (SMN) and default mode network (DMN) was weakened. The above abnormalities could be improved by Tai Chi Chuan training for 1 month. In addition, the correlation analyses showed that the causal relationship between SMN and DMN was positively correlated with the scores of Role Physical (RP) and Bodily Pain (BP) in CFS patients, and the change of causal relationship between SMN and DMN before and after training was positively correlated with the change of BP score. The findings suggest that Tai Chi Chuan is helpful to improve the quality of life for patients with CFS. The change of Granger causality between SMN and DMN may be a readout parameter of CFS. Tai Chi Chuan may promote the functional plasticity of brain networks in patients with CFS by regulating the information transmission between them.

The study: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.858833/full

 

[Rufous McKinney]

The findings suggest that Tai Chi Chuan is helpful to improve the quality of life for patients with CFS. The change of Granger causality between SMN and DMN may be a readout parameter of CFS. Tai Chi Chuan may promote the functional plasticity of brain networks in patients with CFS by regulating the information transmission between them.

that will take a while to digest.......

One month of something called Tai Chi...interesting....and this is chronic fatigue, china version.

Having studied Tai Chi for over eight years......what are they referring to after one month I wonder? Its the short cut Tai chi taught to the masses.

My brain and body were highly functional when I learned over 1700 moves and it took four years to accomplish Phase I. To do a simple turn requires you knees be functional, but ME includes a break down of the ligaments in the knee. I had to modify turns thirty years ago.

The level of mental concentration required is huge. To hold a Tai chi position even briefly requires tremendous aerobic conditioning. Want to double your heart rate? Try one Tai Chi maneuver, like Cloudy Hands or The White Crane dries her Wing.

 

[Consul]

@Rufous McKinney what do you seriously know 1700 moves of this stuff?!

 

[Rufous McKinney]

@Rufous McKinney what do you seriously know 1700 moves of this stuff?!

yes, remarkable, actually. In my twenties. Daughter of master from Hong Kong. She started at three. He was a famous healer.

Mao created a short cut version of Tai Chi for the masses and its likely beneficial, I do not wish to be overly critical, I suffer from having been TRAINED UP. Thats the Tai Chi you see people doing in the park.

I learned WU style. I'm a Wu Style snob.

Four years to learn 1700 moves Square Form (discrete moves, held, move to next position, hold).

Then about two years on Round Form (what looks like your dancing in slow motion)

Tai chi is a healing protocol. We were starting to learn those protocols. When I left the area.

You put your hands on somebody else and direct your Qi into their spine.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

This video is a good demonstration of "round form" and shows just an initial set of movements.
(it says is square form but I don't agree)

Just doing this initial set of movements could be life transforming.

The narrator is quite irritating so this would never work to learn from.

I had very good videos which I lost in the fire. And I cannot locate the place I got them. That created an epic personal crisis I have yet to resolve. I had the 1700 moves in diagram form, and those papers were lost.

this is taught person to person. A chain of memories.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Numerous evidence has shown that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have changes in resting brain functional connectivity,

this seems to be a whole arena of study of ME brain...that I have not seen discussed elsewhere?

Resting brain connectivity. It all sounds really important . Some of the references are interesting cited in the article above.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

@Rufous McKinney what do you seriously know 1700 moves of this stuff?!

I found an instruction manual for the first 108 moves in Wu Style documented by Master Stephen Hwa.



This is the person whose name I had lost: and I just FOUND IT I"m so very happy right now.

I would really encourage folks with mild ME to try to learn this Tai Chi first 108 moves.

a narrative describing these moves, in written form without diagrams, is 123 pages long. (so yes, imagine what the 1700 moves would be like, and yes, there is some repetition of earlier sections).

Why try to learn this?

1) it feels wonderful to execute
2) its really centering..even a few moves the body loves it, the nervous system, the mind.

3)But its very aerobic...do not be fooled by video of older folks slowly moving in a meadow.

4) the mere act of holding the arms up at the proper angle, represents a huge work out, and the slower it is done, the MORE INTENSe is the work out.

Wu style is not as commonly taught in the US,. I would caution more commonly taught styles are often emphasizing more "extreme" movements (deeper knee bends, longer lunges which aren't actually desirable).

5) avoid turns and lunges and alot of knee work unless your in really good condition. Its not really necessary for gaining benefit.

6) The first set of moves can be modified and done entirely sitting in a wheel chair. (I saw this done, its mostly just an upper body work out as the person had lower body mobility limitations) they sat the whole time.

 

[Nord Wolf]

I’ve studied Tai Chi Chuan for 40 years now. I taught Tai Chi to Vets and First Responders with PTSD for a few years before my ME/CFS got too bad for me to manage.

I studied the traditional Yang Long Style from Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, Master Mantak Chi, Grandmaster Sin Kuang The’, and Master Tom Bunn. I also studied Yang Snake Style from Bao Tak Fai.

I agree it does wonders for assisting the brain rebuild and heal. However, as Rufus stated, it is strenuous and takes a great deal of time, coordination, flexibility, cognitive ability, strength, organ and body integrity and to do properly… and one must train and execute the form properly to gain the benefits. Form simple relaxation and to get a body moving, the easier shorter forms work well for some; elderly, folks with PTSD, folks rehabilitating after injuries, etc.

But even me, after 40 years of practice, had to stop because the ME/CFS wracked my body so harshly. I’ve switched to solely practice QIgong these days… which can have just as beneficial effects as Tai Chi.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I studied the traditional Yang Long Style from Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, Master Mantak Chi, Grandmaster Sin Kuang The’, and Master Tom Bunn. I also studied Yang Snake Style from Bao Tak Fai.

Fascinating...

since my first exposure was we are here to learn Tai Chi for healing and I studied with others including a man in a wheel chair 75 years old.....my exposure was not "this is a martial art for defensive and offensive purposes.,.."

My teacher's father, a master in Hong Kong, did Healing. Sure, he also could not be touched crossing a crowd of 100s of people and could send you across the room without coming in any physical contact.

 

[GreenEdge]

I did Tai Chi this morning for the first time in 2.5 years. Wow, I feel much better.

Over the years, I've had some success with pacing that includes bush walks or swimming. However, Tai Chi is the only exercise that has always helped.

@Rufous McKinney, I think you must be over thinking each move, because I found it gave me energy.

On Friday a man practicing Tai Chi (in local park at an advanced level I've never seen before) stopped to have a chat with me and he said this "When Tai Chi is done properly it takes no energy from you - the energy comes from the universe. When the mind is calm the movement flows effortlessly."

He's right, from now on, I'm going to apply myself and get back into it.