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This study examines the impact of Baduanjin exercise on cognitive function and brain activation in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

April 27, 2026Open Access

Effects of Baduanjin exercise on working memory in mild cognitive impairment: an fNIRS-based randomized controlled trial

Key Points

This study examines the impact of Baduanjin exercise on cognitive function and brain activation in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.
46 MCI patients were randomly assigned to a Baduanjin group or a control group receiving health education.
The Baduanjin group engaged in a 12-week Baduanjin exercise program, while cognitive assessments and fNIRS measurements were conducted before and after the intervention.
Cognitive function was measured using MoCA, MMSE, and other tests, with fNIRS tracking oxygenated hemoglobin changes during working memory tasks.
The Baduanjin group showed significant improvements in MoCA and MMSE scores after 12 weeks.
STT-B completion times, SCL-90 scores, and PSQI scores were significantly reduced in the Baduanjin group compared to controls.
Increased recruitment of the right somatosensory cortex was associated with cognitive improvements, while activation levels in the DLPFC and FEF remained unchanged.

Abstract

Objective This study utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology to investigate the effects of Baduanjin exercise on activation levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), frontal eye field (FEF), and somatosensory cortex (SSC) during working memory tasks in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods A total of 46 MCI patients were randomly assigned to either a Baduanjin group ( n = 23) or a control group ( n = 23). The Baduanjin group underwent a 12-week Baduanjin exercise intervention, while the control group received only health education. Before and after the 12-week intervention, fNIRS was used to measure changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) levels in 67 channels across the bilateral frontal lobes, temporal lobes, parietal lobes during 1-back tasks. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Attention, executive function, and visual search ability were evaluated using the Shape Trail Test A and B (STT-A and STT-B). Psychological status was assessed with the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results Compared to the control group, the Baduanjin group showed significant improvements in MoCA and MMSE scores after 12 weeks of training, along with significant reductions in STT-B completion time, SCL-90 scores, and PSQI scores. Our fNIRS findings demonstrated a significantly greater recruitment of the right somatosensory cortex (SSC-R) in the Baduanjin group at week 12, which coupled positively with improvements in MoCA scores. Notably, such between-group divergence was absent in the DLPFC and FEF, where activation levels remained comparable between the two groups. Conclusion These findings suggest that Baduanjin training can improve cognitive function in MCI patients, particularly in executive function, which may be associated with increased activation in the SSC-R.

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