Using Tai Chi and Qigong to Treat Parkinson’s Disease: Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to Summarize 7 Traditional Chinese Medicine Studies

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by progressive motor impairment and a wide range of non‑motor symptoms that remain only partially controlled by conventional pharmacotherapy. Tai Chi and Qigong, two traditional Chinese mind–body practices, have been increasingly investigated as complementary approaches for patients with Parkinson’s disease. This article uses an artificial intelligence assistant to collate and summarize findings from 7 key publications—primarily systematic reviews, meta‑analyses, and randomized controlled trials—together with additional recent clinical and mechanistic studies on Tai Chi and Qigong in this population. Across these reports, Tai Chi and Qigong are consistently associated with improvements in balance, postural stability, functional mobility, and fall rates, with several trials also demonstrating benefits in motor scores, sleep, mood, cognition, and health‑related quality of life. Emerging mechanistic work suggests that these practices may exert their effects through enhanced neuromuscular control, modulation of brain network connectivity, anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant pathways, and improved neuroplasticity. At the same time, the evidence base remains constrained by heterogeneous protocols, limited long‑term follow‑up, and variable methodological quality in some reviews. Overall, current data support Tai Chi and Qigong as safe, feasible, and potentially valuable adjuncts to standard care for Parkinson’s disease, and highlight the utility of artificial intelligence tools for efficiently synthesizing an evolving literature.