HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yeh, S-H Articles by Eng, H L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yeh, S-H Articles by Eng, H L

Regular tai chi chuan exercise enhances functional mobility and CD4CD25 regulatory T cells

¹ Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Tao-Yan, Taiwan
² Department of Medical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung
³ College of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung
⁴ School of Nursing, Tzu-hui Institute of Technology, Taiwan
⁵ Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Yeh
Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; y470912{at}adm.cgmh.org.tw

Background: The duration and vigour of physical exercise are widely considered to be critical elements that may positively or negatively affect physical health and immune response.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of a 12 week programme of regular tai chi chuan exercise (TCC) on functional mobility, beliefs about benefits of exercise on physical and psychological health, and immune regulation in middle aged volunteers.

Methods: This quasi-experimental research design involving one group with testing before and after the programme was conducted to measure the effect of 12 weeks of TCC exercise in 14 men and 23 women from the normal community.

Results: Regular TCC exercise had a highly significant positive effect on functional mobility (p = 0.001) and beliefs about the health benefits of exercise (p = 0.013) in the 37 participants. Total white blood cell and red blood cell count did not change significantly, but a highly significant (p<0.001) decrease in monocyte count occurred. A significant (p = 0.05) increase in the ratio of T helper to suppressor cells (CD4:CD8) was found, along with a significant (p = 0.015) increase in CD4CD25 regulatory T cells. Production of the regulatory T cell mediators transforming growth factor ß and interleukin 10 under specific antigen stimulation (varicella zoster virus) was also significantly increased after this exercise programme.

Conclusions: A 12 week programme of regular TCC exercise enhances functional mobility, personal health expectations, and regulatory T cell function.

Abbreviations: IL, interleukin; OEE, outcome expectations for exercise; TCC, tai chi chuan; TGF, transforming growth factor

Keywords: health expectation; lymphocyte subpopulations; CD4:CD8 ratio; transforming growth factor ß; interleukin 10

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S.-H. Yeh, H. Chuang, L.-W. Lin, C.-Y. Hsiao, P.-W. Wang, and K. D. Yang Tai Chi Chuan Exercise Decreases A1C Levels Along With Increase of Regulatory T-Cells and Decrease of Cytotoxic T-Cell Population in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Diabetes Care, March 1, 2007; 30(3): 716 - 718. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Mansky, T. Sannes, D. Wallerstedt, A. Ge, M. Ryan, L. L. Johnson, M. Chesney, and L. Gerber Tai chi chuan: mind-body practice or exercise intervention? Studying the benefit for cancer survivors. Integr Cancer Ther, September 1, 2006; 5(3): 192 - 201. [Abstract] [PDF]