Some emerging research demonstrates the potential effectiveness of Tai Chi in providing short-term improvement in cognitive function in the early stages of dementia. Burgener et al conducted a 40-week intervention with people living with dementia to evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention. The authors concluded that interventions combining Tai Chi, cognitive therapy and participation in a support group can be effective in improving or maintaining cognitive function for people with dementia. Wayne et al conducted a systematic review to explore the effectiveness of Tai Chi on cognitive performance in adults with and without cognitive impairment, concluding that Tai Chi may enhance executive function in older adults without significant impairment; however, their sample included participants with early stages to advanced stages of dementia, and this heterogeneous group may have masked the effects for any subgroups of participants.

Given the lack of consensus on the efficacy of pharmacological approaches and the emphasis on behavioral-focused treatments in the clinical setting, there has been growing interest in behavioral interventions, such as Tai Chi. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine intervention studies using Tai Chi in the early stages of dementia to determine the effectiveness of Tai Chi to improve short-term cognitive function.