Introduction
Depression is a common mental disease that seriously affects the health of middle-aged and older adults, with a prevalence rate of 2%-32.7%, which is still increasing [
1‐
3]. Depression brings enormous medical costs and economic burdens to patients and society [
4,
5], and individuals suffer great pain [
6,
7], lower quality of life [
1,
8], and shorter life expectancy [
9]. It also can present with a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, decreased energy, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, and poor concentration [
10]. In addition, the severity of depressive symptoms can fluctuate over time, putting middle-aged and older adults at increased risk of disability and suicide [
11,
12]. Depression has emerged as one of the world's most severe and pressing public health problems and the leading cause of disability worldwide [
13].
Tai Chi as part of non-pharmacological exercise intervention has a sustained improvement effect on depression. Reviews of non-pharmacological treatments for depression (including Tai Chi, Qigong, yoga, etc.) have reported lower side effects and recurrence rates in middle-aged and older adults and significant reductions in depressive symptoms [
14,
15]. This implies that non-pharmacological exercise therapy can be a cost-effective adjunct to antidepressant treatment [
14]. As a world intangible cultural heritage, the essential principles of Tai Chi encompass generating internal energy, mind–body integration, mindfulness control of movements and breathing, jing (serenity), and song (loosening) [
16]. It is highly appropriate for middle-aged and older adults and has excellent therapeutic effects on depression [
17]. One study showed that 28 weeks of Tai Chi practice significantly reduced depression scores and improved quality of life in older women, with the treatment effect, maintained four weeks after cessation of the intervention [
18]. Li and many other scholars also declared the positive significance of Tai Chi for mental health, Tai Chi can improve the subjective well-being and depression of middle-aged and older adults [
19].
However, the current specific methods of Tai Chi to improve depression in middle-aged and older adults are not uniform, such as exercise cycle [
20], total duration [
21], and style [
22,
23]. And because there are too many factions, the inconsistency in the duration of exercise between different styles of Tai Chi leads to uncertainty about which movement method is most effective. For example, superior effects of modified Chen-Style Tai Chi versus 24-Style Tai Chi on cognitive function, fitness, and balance performance in adults over 55 [
22]. Still, some studies have shown that 8-style Tai Chi alone better impacts mental health in middle-aged and older women [
23]. Some scholars have even questioned whether Tai Chi can affect depression [
24‐
26]. For example, some scholars agree that Tai Chi positively affects depression [
24], but some studies have shown that Tai Chi has no significant impact on reducing the severity of depressive symptoms [
25,
26]. At present, there is no systematic review of Tai Chi intervention for depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults to elaborate on the specific exercise period, exercise duration, and exercise style. Therefore, this study conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi intervention on depression in middle-aged and older patients and provided the specific duration and techniques of Tai Chi treatment for depression. Further promoting the wide application of Tai Chi in middle-aged and older adults can improve the depressive symptoms of middle-aged and older adults, reduce the economic burden of society and patients, and promote the development of Tai Chi.
Method
To enhance our meta-analysis review's potency, clarity, and inclusiveness, we utilized the PRISMA-P guidelines to establish rigorous protocols for our systematic review and meta-analysis [
27].
Search strategy and identification of studies
To gather RCTs on Tai Chi intervention in patients with depression, we thoroughly searched the literature using databases such as Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline, Wanfang, SinoMed, Weipu, and CNKI. Our search terms included "Taichi/tai chi chuan/taichi quan/taijiquan/shadowboxing/taiji/tai chi/t'ai chi chuan" and "Depression/anxiety/depressive disorder/major depression/major depressive disorder/sadness." We enlisted the help of a professional librarian in our search process and used similar titles and keywords related to Depression and Tai Chi. To ensure we captured all relevant articles, we imposed language restrictions in our search and used Boolean terms to maximize our search results. We searched systematically before April 2023.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: (a) RCTs published in peer-reviewed journals in either English or Chinese; (b) Study participants were aged 45 years or older; (c) Participants were older adults with a clinical diagnosis of depression or scored above ten on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) or similar depression scales; (d) Tai Chi was used as an intervention, and studies compared Tai Chi with usual care and waitlist control; (e) Outcome measures included at least one of the effects of different exercise durations and/or a measure of psychological well-being.
Exclusion criteria: (a) Participants with Depression associated with other diseases in middle-aged and older adults; (b) Confounding factors in the experimental group were not solely Tai Chi intervention; (c) Participants were placed in or received long-term care in a hospital or nursing home; (d) Participants in the control group received exercise or other physical activity interventions; (e) Unextractable data and/or unresponsive authors to requests for clarification.
Study selection
Two reviewers (Zeng and Zhao) searched independently using the same data source and search strategy. The retrieved articles from the six databases were imported into Endnote, a reference management software program to help remove duplicates from the final lists, store full texts of the studies and manage references. Then two reviewers (Zeng and Zhao) independently screened titles and abstracts to identify their inclusion eligibility. If discrepancies regarding the eligibility of identified studies occurred between the two reviewers, a third reviewer (Yang) was resolved by discussion.
Data extraction and quality assessment
The characteristics of the original research were extracted from the data by two reviewers (Zeng and Zhao) independently so that it can reduce potential bias and minimize errors. Similarly, any inconsistencies were resolved through consultation with a third reviewer (Yang). A prearranged table matrix was used to collect and extract relevant information such as the author/s, publication year, follow-up time, participants, depression therapy/intervention, and outcomes design. Additionally, we attempted to contact the authors of an RCT conducted by Lavretsky Helen et al. to request data [
28], but we have not received any feedback.
The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias for the included trials [
29]. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias for each trial. The methodological quality of the RCTs was evaluated using seven domains, including randomization, allocation concealment, blinding of researchers/participants/assessors, blinding of outcome assessment, incomplete outcome data, reporting of lost participants to follow-up, and other sources of bias. RevMan 5.4 was employed to evaluate the risk of bias.
Data synthesis analysis
Stata 14.0 was used for all analyses. In total, twelve studies were selected for inclusion in the systematic review. Two statistical tests were performed to evaluate heterogeneity. The Cochrane Q Test (I
2) and the Chi-Square test (Chi
2) p-value were used to assess statistical heterogeneity, with studies considered heterogeneous if the p-value was less than 0.10 [
30]. Additionally, the percentage of total variation across studies was reported as I-squared (I
2) (I
2 = 0%-40%, low heterogeneity, I
2 = 30%-60%, moderate heterogeneity, I
2 = 50%-90%, substantial heterogeneity, I
2 = 75%-100%, considerable heterogeneity) [
31].
Discussion
Currently, with the increasing application prospect of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the management of chronic diseases, non-pharmaceutical treatments are becoming more and more popular among patients with chronic diseases around the world [
45]. So far, as a type of CAM, an increasing number of studies have been devoted to exploring the health-promoting effects of Tai Chi on depression, but they have been limited to the duration of individual exercises, total duration, or Tai Chi forms [
46‐
49]. Specific recommendations on how to reduce depression through Tai Chi in middle-aged and older adults remain unknown. Therefore, this meta-analysis analyzed the effect of Tai Chi exercise on improving depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. The study entry points were the overall number of weeks, the total duration of Tai Chi exercise and Tai Chi forms.
In terms of exercise weeks, compared with the control group, the effect of Tai Chi on depression was significantly different in the two intervention periods of less than 24 weeks and ≥ 24 weeks, and the differences between groups were statistically significant (
P < 0.05). The intervention period over 24 weeks can significantly reduce depression in middle-aged and older adults. The present results are also consistent with previously published studies on the effects of Tai Chi exercise over 24 weeks on improvements in depressive symptoms [
50,
51]. This may be because Tai Chi exercise for more than 24 weeks can increase social time and may enhance residents’ interactions with other residents. From the perspective of total exercise duration, duration ≤ 2400 min had a low effect. The study effect size was significantly larger for > 2400 min, suggesting that a certain amount of exercise time may be taken as an essential condition for effect. The results of this analysis further support Yang et al.'s meta-analysis, which declares that the optimal total duration of Tai Chi exercise for depressive symptoms is as follows: more than 1440 min [
52].
The difference between the total number of weeks and the total duration of Tai Chi exercise is that by evaluating the total number of weeks of Tai Chi exercise, the degree of stability and long-term adherence of middle-aged and older patients can be understood. Such adherence often contributes to the formation of healthy habits, thereby producing positive physical and psychological effects on depressive symptoms [
53]. Again, understand the overall practice time, longer practice time means more physical activity and exercise, which helps to improve heart and lung function, strengthen muscle strength and improve blood circulation, and further improve mood and emotional state [
54].
Regarding the type of Tai Chi, 24-style Tai Chi can get better results. This is consistent with the conclusion of Wang and Liu scholars that simplified 24-style Tai Chi is superior to traditional Tai Chi [
55,
56]. The reason why 24-style Tai Chi is more effective may be the decline of memory and physical function in middle-aged and older adults. 24-style Tai Chi is easier to remember and less physically demanding than other moves such as 42-style Tai Chi. It is easier to form exercise habits and more sustainable development for the future. Therefore, Tai Chi is an effective way to improve the physical function of middle-aged and elderly people and is more suitable for them.
Therefore, the optimal intervention period for treating depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults is ≥ 24 weeks with a total duration of over 2400 min, and the choice of 24-style Tai Chi.
However, although the present meta-analysis found positive results, the results were also consistent with the previous published review on the effect of Tai Chi exercise on improving depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older people [
54,
57,
58]; but the small sample size of the included trials, inconsistent efficacy indicators and poor quality of the literature may lead to unstable outcomes. And the positive findings should be interpreted conservatively. Our systematic review had some limitations: (1) No grey literature was included in the primary published studies; (2) Limited to Chinese and English; (3) Some potentially included studies were not included due to data extraction and significant information extraction problems. These limitations are mainly due to the limitation of regional culture in promoting and developing Tai Chi, which is still widely used in China. Moreover, the authors of the included English articles are mainly Chinese, which limits the literature language. Some RCTs should have mentioned accurate data, so they were excluded from the study. Therefore, future high-quality RCTs with large sample sizes, multiple methodological issues, and heterogeneity are needed to support our findings.
Conclusion
This study is consistent with the conclusion of many scientific reports that physical and mental exercises such as Tai Chi have health benefits on the modification of depression in middle-aged and older adults. This is very encouraging, as these interventions are inexpensive, safe, and can be tailored to individual circumstances. The findings of this study should prompt healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, to consider Tai Chi as part of the treatment for depression in middle-aged and older adults. The study draws the following conclusions: (1) Tai Chi can significantly improve the symptoms of depression among middle-aged and older adults. It is a supplementary non-drug resource for depression and has excellent promotion value; (2) There is a precise focus on depression. The intervention period is more than 24 weeks, the total practice time is often more than 2400 min, and the 24-style Tai Chi exercise was used.
Acknowledgements
The authors sincerely thank Xueyang Zhao, Fen Yang, Ting Hu, Man Wu, Chaoyang Li, and YiQing Yu for their help in data processing and language.
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