CTC12 and SD were associated with modest cognitive gains and distinct physiological patterns potentially linked to the muscle-brain axis, which may help guide exercise choices for older adults.
Key Findings
Results
12-form Chen-style Tai Chi (CTC12) and square dancing (SD) both improved global cognition after 12 weeks, while TC24, walking, and control groups showed no change.
CTC12 group (n=22) showed MoCA improvement of Δ=+0.46, p=0.0045
SD group (n=22) showed MoCA improvement of Δ=+0.50, p=0.0046
TC24 group (n=23), walking group (n=23), and control group (n=23) showed no significant change in MoCA scores
Global cognition was assessed using the Beijing Chinese MoCA
Trial was 12 weeks in duration with two sessions per week
Results
CTC12 and SD produced distinct physiological profiles despite both improving cognition.
CTC12 increased skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) with small SPPB and handgrip strength gains, and showed a significant reduction in IL-6 levels
SD reduced BMI and fat mass (FM) and increased BMR and SPPB scores
TC24 increased BMR only
Walking showed no measurable physiological changes
Body composition was evaluated using multifrequency bioimpedance
Results
Changes in skeletal muscle mass and basal metabolic rate were positively associated with cognitive improvement in the CTC12 group.
ΔMOCA was positively associated with ΔSMM (p=0.014) in the CTC12 group
ΔMOCA was positively associated with ΔBMR (p=0.004) in the CTC12 group
These associations suggest a muscle-brain axis mechanism linking muscle mass changes to cognitive gains in CTC12
Results
Changes in BMI and fat mass were negatively associated with cognitive improvement in the SD group.
ΔMOCA was negatively associated with ΔBMI (p=0.002) in the SD group
ΔMOCA was negatively associated with ΔFM (p=0.002) in the SD group
These associations suggest that fat reduction may underlie cognitive benefits from square dancing
Methods
The study enrolled 113 older adult participants who completed the 12-week intervention.
Mean age was 62.3 years
79.6% of participants were female
Design was a single-blind, five-arm randomized controlled trial
Five arms included CTC12, TC24, square dancing, walking, and control
Blood biomarkers including fasting interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured alongside body composition and physical performance
Qiu J, Song X, Wang J, Kim S. (2026). Muscle-brain axis mechanisms linking community-based exercise to cognitive function in older adults: A five-arm randomized controlled trial.. Experimental gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2026.113041