Tai chi improves depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older persons by mediating BDNF methylation: A preliminary study

Liao S 1 , Tan M 2 , Li M 3 , Ren J 1 , Wang Y 1 , Zheng R 4 Show all authors , Luo B 5 , Xu W 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
  • 2 Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Ageing and Age-Associated Disorders Research Group, Wellness Research Cluster, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Bioinformatics Lab, Hangzhou Taoxue Space Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
  • 4 Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
  • 5 Department of Nursing, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hxnurs@163.com
  • 6 Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: xuwenming@scu.edu.cn
Geriatr Nurs, 2022 Feb 10;44:137-142.
PMID: 35152066 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2022.01.015

Abstract

Tai Chi could alleviate depression, while the biological mechanisms underlying this effect remains unelucidated. This study recruited 18 community-dwelling older persons with a pre-post testing design, aiming to unveil the potential epigenetic effect by which Tai Chi in the alleviation of depression, using methylation of BDNF promoter as the biomarker. The methylation levels (determined by pyrosequencing using saliva samples) of the targeted BDNF sequence were positively associated with the existence and severity of depressive symptoms (measured with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire). Both methylation levels and depression decreased significantly after the Tai Chi intervention. Demethylation of BDNF promoter might be one of the potential mechanisms underlying the holistic depression alleviating effect of Tai Chi. BDNF methylation may potentially serve as a screening, diagnostic as well as disease activity biomarker to determine treatment effects for depression. Further adequately powered studies are needed to verify and strengthen our findings.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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