Tai Chi Versus Conventional Exercise to Improve Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Inclusion Criteria:

• Chinese older adults aged equal or larger than 50 years

• Ethnic Chinese

• MCI under criteria of Mayo Clinic, including the following i. people with subjective complaint about a decline in cognitive function. ii. totalscore in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment is equal or below the 7th percentile ofthe age- and education- corrected normative data of Hong Kong. iii. the decline incognitive function does not impair daily functioning, as revealed by getting ≥2marks in every item on the Chinese Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living 4-point Scale).

Exclusion Criteria:

• medical history of major chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, cerebro- andcardio-vascular diseases, and renal disease

• uncontrolled diabetes

• diagnosed with dementia or using anti-dementia medication

• diagnosed with psychiatric diseases or using psychiatric medication

• with diseases or on medications known to severely affect cognitive performance

• somatic condition (e.g., limb lost) that prevent participation in exercise

• impaired mobility by chronic diseases (e.g., neurological, musculoskeletal andautoimmune diseases)

• incapable to perform physical exercise

• regular exercise habit (>3 times 60-min Tai Chi or moderate-intensity conventionalexercise weekly) in the past 3 months