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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #373794
Research Project: Nutrition, Sarcopenia, Physical Function, and Skeletal Muscle Capacity During Aging

Location: Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging

Title: The effects of tai chi mind-body approach on the mechanisms of gulf war illness: an umbrella review

Author
item REID, KIERAN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item BANNURU, RAVEENDHARA - Tufts Medical Center
item WANG, CHENCHEN - Tufts Medical Center
item MORI, DEANNA - Boston University
item NILES, BARBARA - Boston University

Submitted to: Integrative Medicine Research
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/13/2019
Publication Date: 5/30/2019
Citation: Reid, K.F., Bannuru, R.R., Wang, C., Mori, D.L., Niles, B.L. 2019. The effects of tai chi mind-body approach on the mechanisms of gulf war illness: an umbrella review. Integrative Medicine Research. 8(3):167-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2019.05.003.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2019.05.003

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic and multisymptom disorder affecting military veterans deployed to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. It is characterized by a range of acute and chronic symptoms, including but not limited to, fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychological problems, cognitive deficits, widespread pain, and respiratory and gastrointestinal difficulties. The prevalence of many of these chronic symptoms affecting Gulf War veterans occur at markedly elevated rates compared to nondeployed contemporary veterans. To date, no effective treatments for GWI have been identified. The overarching goal of this umbrella review was to critically evaluate the evidence for the potential of Tai Chi mind-body exercise to benefit and alleviate GWI symptomology. Based on the most prevalent GWI chronic symptoms and case definitions established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Initiative Program, we reviewed and summarized the evidence from 7 published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Our findings suggest that Tai Chi may have the potential for distinct therapeutic benefits on the major prevalent symptoms of GWI. Future clinical trials are warranted to examine the feasibility, efficacy, durability and potential mechanisms of Tai Chi for improving health outcomes and relieving symptomology in GWI.