Effects of qigong exercises on cognitive functioning in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common among older adults. Qigong is a Chinese exercise that may enhance cognitive function. This review aims to investigate the effects of Qigong-based exercises on cognition in older adults with MCI. "PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, VIP, and Web of Science" were searched until May 2026. Quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2). Twenty-one trials (1429 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed significant improvements in global cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment: SMD = 0.88, 95% CI 0.64-1.13, p < 0.00001; Mini-Mental State Examination: SMD = 1.03, 95% CI 0.68-1.38, p < 0.00001), memory (Wechsler Memory Scale: SMD = 1.03, 95% CI 0.62-1.45, p < 0.00001; Auditory Verbal Learning Test: SMD = 1.01, 95% CI 0.63-1.38, p < 0.00001), and executive function (Color-Word Matching Stroop Test: SMD = -0.93, 95% CI -1.30 to -0.56, p < 0.00001). The overall quality of the studies was low risk of bias. Qigong-based exercises may improve cognition in older adults with MCI, particularly global cognition, memory, and executive function domains. Further trials with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm the efficacy of the intervention.