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This exploratory study investigated whether Tai Chi, transcranial direct current stimulation (a non-invasive brain stimulation technique), or their combination could improve memory and alter spontaneous brain activity in people with mild cognitive impairment. Using a randomised two-by-two factorial design, 128 participants were assigned to one of four groups — Tai Chi alone, transcranial direct current stimulation alone, both together, or a health education control — over a twelve-week period. Brain activity was measured before and after the intervention using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Both interventions independently produced significant improvements in memory scores across several standardised assessments. Tai Chi was associated with enhanced activity in the middle and inferior temporal gyrus, regions linked to memory and language processing. Transcranial direct current stimulation influenced activity in the postcentral gyrus, lingual gyrus, and frontal regions. When combined, the two interventions produced a significant interactive effect on immediate recall, with changes in recall performance negatively correlated with activity in the right middle frontal gyrus. The findings suggest that each intervention engages different neural pathways, and their combined use may offer broader cognitive benefits than either approach alone.
Conclusion: Tai Chi and transcranial direct current stimulation appear to target distinct but complementary brain mechanisms in mild cognitive impairment, supporting their combined use as a promising multimodal approach to slowing cognitive decline.
Source: Liu H, Li H, Ren J and colleagues. Complementary therapies in medicine (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 41980631) · doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103382
