Different parts of the brain may benefit from tai chi movements
Monday, 12 December 2011
Different parts of the brain may benefit from tai chi movements.
As people age, they may dread falling victim to those "senior moments" when they have momentary lapses in memory. Misplacing car keys, forgetting birthdays or, perhaps most embarrassingly, forgetting someone's name as they greet you on the street. However, there are several things people can do to keep their brains sharp, including tai chi movements.
The brain is like any other muscle – if you don't use it, you lose it. There are a variety of activities that can keep the various parts of the brain quick and focused, according to Majid Fotuhi, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University, as reported in The Chronicle Herald.
Not only is tai chi relaxing, but having to memorize the slow, deliberate movements of this energy healing meditation may be beneficial for two parts of the brain, Fotuhi said: the cerebellum, which controls balance and physical movement, and the frontal lobes, which help plan movement.
Other activities that may boost the performance of these brain structures include learning ballroom dancing and mastering a new instrument, according to Fotuhi.
Physically, tai chi has been associated with improvements in body pain and stiffness, as well as muscle strength and coordination, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health.
