Open Access

ARTICLE

Effects of Health Qigong Exercise on Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

by Xiying Li¹, Alyx Taylor², Jinming Li³, Ting Wang³, Jing Kuang³, Zhihao Zhang³, Xiaolei Liu⁴, Tingting Liu⁴, Xia Qin⁵, Shenghua Lu^6,7,*, Liye Zou³

1 School of Physical Education, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, 650031, China
2 School of Rehabilitation, Sport and Psychology, AECC University College, Bournemouth, BH52DF, UK
3 Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
4 Chinese Traditional Regimen Exercise Intervention Research Center, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, 100084, China
5 Foreign Language School, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, 650031, China
6 College of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, 416000, China
7 Hunan Academy of Education Sciences, Changsha, 410082, China

* Corresponding Author: Shenghua Lu. Email: lushenghua6666@126

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2022, 24(6), 855-867. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2022.021508

Received 18 January 2022; Accepted 25 March 2022; Issue published 28 September 2022

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the effects of Health Qigong exercise on depression and anxiety in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: A total of 42 volunteers who met the inclusion criteria were recruited and randomly allocated into the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group carried out 60-minute sessions of Health Qigong exercise five times a week for 12 weeks while the control group did not perform any regular physical exercise. Data on cognitive impairment, psychomotor retardation, somatic anxiety, weight loss and sleep disorders, the sum score of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), state anxiety, trait anxiety as well as the sum score of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were collected for three repeated measurements (baseline, 6, and 12 weeks). Results: Significant differences were observed in depression, state anxiety, trait anxiety, cognitive impairment and psychomotor retardation in the experimental group but no difference in somatic anxiety, weight loss and sleep disorders. Conclusion: Health Qigong exercise can pose positive psychological effects and alleviate the depression and anxiety in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It can be applied as an accessible supplement to the existent drug treatment for PD.

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Keywords

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