Perceived Health Benefits of Taijiquan and Qigong.

Background: Taijiquan and qigong are traditional Chinese therapeutic disciplines with several health benefits and the ability to improve the quality of life of their practitioners. As traditional vegetative biofeedback therapies, they can activate functional vegetative changes in the body. These neurovegetative actions have been studied in the last few years to better explain the mechanisms through which these techniques of traditional Chinese medicine work. Primary Study Objective: To support current research, it is important to further explore these neurovegetative actions according to contemporary Chinese medicine models to clarify the mechanisms of their working in light of conventional medical terms. This study aims to explore the health benefits that these practices may produce for practitioners. Methods: 345 taijiquan and qigong practitioners were recruited for this study to assess the perceived health benefits of taijiquan and qigong. We conducted a survey to assist in this purpose. Results: Taijiquan combined with qigong may be more beneficial than taijiquan alone. Additionally, these practices seem to produce notable benefits for anxiety, depression, and other emotional disturbances. They also seem to have positive results in addressing arthritis and pain in the back, shoulder, neck, and knees. In addition, taijiquan and qigong may have benefits in managing several digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases, and provide some assistance in the management of some oncologic conditions. Conclusion: Breathing exercises, slow and controlled movement, self-massage, and directed thought are the therapeutic characteristics that allow this wide range of potential, perceived health benefits. More scientific studies are needed to confirm the mechanisms through which taijiquan and qigong may benefit health. However, it is suggested that these techniques may have an impact on health mainly via the modulation of the autonomic nervous system.

Autism Spectrum as an Etiologic Systemic Disorder: A Protocol for an Umbrella Review.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder with a huge prevalence increasing every year (1/44 children). Still diagnosed as a mental disorder, the last 10 years of research found possible causes, risks, genetics, environmental triggers, epigenetics, metabolic, immunological, and neurophysiological unbalances as relevant aetiology. Umbrella methodology is the highest level of scientific evidence, designed to support clinical and political decisions. A literature search for autism aetiology, pathophysiology, or causes, conducted in the last 10 years, at PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and the Web of Science, resulted in six umbrella reviews. Nevertheless, only one quantitative analysis reported risk factors and biomarkers but excluded genetics, experiments on animal models, and post-mortem studies. We grouped ASD's multi-factorial causes and risks into five etiological categories: genetic, epigenetic, organic, psychogenic, and environmental. Findings suggest that autism might be evaluated as a systemic disorder instead of only through the lens of mental and behavioural. The overview implications of included studies will be qualitatively analysed under ROBIS and GRADE tools. This umbrella review can provide a rational basis for a new urgent health policy to develop better and adequate integrated care services for ASD. The methodological protocol has the register CRD42022348586 at PROSPERO.

Can the electrical potential of acupoints be used to assess the functional state of meridians and the effects of therapeutics? An exploratory data analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Acupoints have bioelectrical properties distinct from common skin. Besides the higher electrical conductivity and lower resistance, acupoints show capacitor-like properties, which can be related to their endogenous electrical potential. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) postulates that meridians are physiological structures connecting acupoints and working as a conduit for the flow of two essential substances known as qi and xue. OBJECTIVES: This pilot study was focused in evaluating whether the electrical potential of acupoints can be correlated objectively to the functional properties as described by ancient Chinese medical theories, such as the theories of coupled meridians of the same phase ('elements'), and the principle of coupled points. METHODS: Direct needle moxibustion on LU5 and needle dispulsion of LI4 were performed in 21 subjects. The electrical potential of each acupoint was measured with a high-resolution data acquisition system taking to reference the acupoint SP6 of the Spleen conduit. RESULTS: The results may indicate a functional relationship between the therapeutics and the electrical potential response on the selected acupoints. These effects seem to be explainable considering the specific properties of each acupoint, the relationship between TCM phases, and the dynamics between coupled conduits. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the endogenous electrical potential of acupoints and the changes caused by an external stimulus might contribute to the understanding of TCM concepts, mechanisms, and the effects of associated therapeutics. The observed phenomena encourage the systematic assessment of the functional vegetative status via skin electrophysiology and using objective measurements.