Taiji’s Synergistic Impact on Autonomic
Nervous Function and Brain-Gut Communication
A 2025 randomized controlled trial published in Scientific Reports investigated Taiji’s effects on patients with functional constipation (FCon), a condition linked to disrupted brain-gut communication and autonomic nervous system imbalance. The study enrolled 80 FCon patients and 32 healthy controls. Patients were assigned to either Tai Chi or aerobic exercise groups, each practicing four one-hour sessions weekly for eight weeks.
Both interventions improved symptoms, mood, and heart rate variability. However, Tai Chi showed slightly superior clinical outcomes. Neuroimaging revealed that only Taiji significantly modulated abnormal functional connectivity in the anterior insula—a key node in the central autonomic network—suggesting enhanced coordination between the central and autonomic nervous systems. These changes correlated with symptom relief and autonomic balance (sympathetic/parasympathetic), indicating improved brain-gut interaction.
This study supports Taiji as a mind-body therapy capable of addressing both physiological and neurological components of functional gastrointestinal disorders.
