Brain cortical activation and functional connection of Tai Chi Yunshou during different tasks: An fNIRS study

To investigate brain activation and functional connectivity in the prefrontal and motor regions during observation, imagery and execution tasks of Tai Chi Yunshou in healthy adults using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 healthy adults (48 males and 52 females; aged 26.23 ± 6.84 years) without a history of neurological, psychiatric or chronic diseases. All participants completed observation, imagery and execution tasks of Tai Chi Yunshou: (1) in the observation task, participants watched videos of the Tai Chi Yunshou movement; (2) in the imagery task, participants repeatedly imagined performing the Tai Chi Yunshou movement following verbal instructions; and (3) in the execution task, participants physically performed the Tai Chi Yunshou movement. The forty-channel wearable fNIRS system was utilized to evaluate the real-time cortical responses during the tasks. Cortical activation was analyzed using a general linear model, functional connectivity was assessed by Pearson correlation, and directional interactions between brain regions were examined using Granger causality analysis (GCA).

During the observation task, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and frontopolar area (FPA) were deactivated (P < 0.05). During the imagery task, right DLPFC, primary motor cortex (PMC) and premotor and supplementary motor cortex (PSMC) areas were activated. The bilateral Broca's areas, bilateral DLPFC, bilateral orbitofrontal areas, right FPA, right PMC, right PSMC and right primary somatosensory cortex were activated during the execution task. Execution of Tai Chi Yunshou showed strong functional connectivity within prefrontal cortex (PFC), within sensorimotor area as well as between PFC and sensorimotor area. The results of GCA suggested that Tai Chi Yunshou execution engaged more robust and widespread causal interactions among cortical areas compared to observation and imagery tasks.

Different activation patterns were found among observation, imagery and execution of Tai Chi Yunshou. Compared with observation and imagery of Tai Chi Yunshou, execution of Tai Chi Yunshou activated and coordinated more brain regions in the PFC and sensorimotor areas, offering evidence that the practice of Tai Chi has the effect of harmonizing both the body and the mind. Please cite this article as: Fu H, Fan J, Liu XB, Li YX, Zhang JM, Xue C, Zhang J, Xie C, Zheng Z, Jiang LB, Li J, Zhong DL, Jin RJ. Brain cortical activation and functional connection of Tai Chi Yunshou during different tasks: An fNIRS study. J Integr Med. 2026; Epub ahead of print.