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Post-stroke cognitive impairment is a significant and common consequence of stroke, often hampering recovery and reducing quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether qigong exercise — a traditional mind-body practice — could improve cognitive function in people who have experienced a stroke, and whether different styles of qigong produced different results.
Researchers searched seven major databases and identified sixteen randomised controlled trials for inclusion. The primary measure of cognitive function used across most studies was the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Overall, the pooled results showed that qigong produced a statistically significant improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores compared with control conditions such as standard rehabilitation or health education. When broken down by qigong style, Baduanjin and Liuzijue both demonstrated significant benefits, while Yijinjing did not reach statistical significance. Two trials examining a Dao-yin style of qigong used the Mini-Mental State Examination and reported improvement, though these results showed very high variability between studies, limiting the confidence that can be placed in them.
The review noted moderate to high heterogeneity across studies and called for further rigorously designed clinical trials to confirm these findings, clarify which specific qigong styles are most effective, and determine the most appropriate outcome measures for assessing post-stroke cognition.
Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that qigong exercise can meaningfully improve cognitive function following stroke, particularly when practising Baduanjin or Liuzijue styles, though further high-quality research is needed to strengthen these conclusions.
Source: Song C, Xie H, Li H and colleagues. Frontiers in neurology (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42621020) · doi:10.3389/fneur.2026.1886327
