Exercise is generally considered a non-pharmacological strategy that plays an important protective role in preserving cognitive function or slowing the progression of cognitive impairment for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Most exercise interventions, however, focus exclusively on physical development. Relatively few programs have combined physical and cognitive training or explicitly integrated cognitive-physical components for cognitive stimulation.

Li and his colleagues are evaluating how well a cognitively enhanced exercise intervention - Tai Ji Quan: Moving to Maintain Brain Health (TJQMMBH) works. TJQMMBH is based on a comprehensively researched, evidence-based program that has been shown to have multiple health outcomes. This version of the Tai Ji Quan program explicitly integrates a cognitive component to increase multitasking and cognitive demands on performing deliberate daily motor tasks. The primary aim in the study is to determine whether the newly developed TJQMMBH intervention will have a positive effect on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.