An interventional study of Tai Chi/Qigong vs. Walking/Stretching in Bipolar Disorder, sponsored by Lady Davis Institute. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 40 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-05-25.
Sponsored by Lady Davis Institute · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
It is expected that by 2030, the percentage of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in Canada over 60 years of age will exceed 50%. In this population, poor cognition and persistent sub-threshold depressive symptoms are particularly common, difficult to treat, associated with increased mood episodes, and poor daily functioning. Mind-body interventions have increasingly been found to be effective in treating several psychiatric condition including BD. A few pilot studies examining mindfulness-based intervention in younger adult BD have been promising for depressive symptoms, but some pilot research suggest that patients with older age bipolar disorder (OABD) may benefit more from moving mindfulness. The investigators will conduct a 12-week randomized controlled trial to assess whether tai-chi/qigong will be associated with 1) greater reduction in depressive symptoms, and 2) greater improved cognition, in comparison to a light exercise active control condition, 12- and 24-weeks from baseline, in BD patients aged 40+.
1,601 studies on the registry are indexed under Bipolar Disorder; 254 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 23 is below the median of 64 across 1,223 interventional studies indexed under Bipolar Disorder.
Browse Bipolar Disorder studies →Lady Davis Institute is the lead sponsor of 45 studies on the registry; 6 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
50mins x 12 weeks of virtually-delivered group tai chi/qigong
Behavioral: Tai Chi/Qigong vs. Walking/Stretching
50mins x 12 weeks of virtually-delivered group walking and stretching
Behavioral: Tai Chi/Qigong vs. Walking/Stretching
Both interventions can be thought of as a form of movement and exercise.
Change in Depression
Level of depression as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-60, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Processing Speed
Processing speed as measured by the Animal Fluency Test at 12-weeks and 24-weeks. Scored by number of animals named, higher score indicates better outcome.
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Quality of Life
Quality of life as measured by the Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder Questionnaire - Short Form, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 12-60, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Daily Functioning
Daily functioning as measured by the Functional Assessment Short Test, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-72, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Generalized Anxiety
Generalized anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-21, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Mindfulness
Mindfulness as measured by the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire Short Form at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range = 49-110, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Self-Compassion
Self-compassion as measured by the Self Compassion Scale Short Form at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-130, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Mania
Mania as measured by the Young Mania Rating Scale at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-60, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Self-Reported Depression
Level of depression as measured by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self Report, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-45, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, weekly throughout 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Change in Self-Reported Mania
Level of mania as measured by the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale, at 12-weeks and 24-weeks post-intervention. Possible score range: 0-25, higher score indicates worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline, weekly throughout 12-weeks, 24-weeks
Plan to share: Yes — Data from the study will be sent to the Global Aging \& Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database (GAGE-BD). The objective of GAGE-BD is to gather data from research studies about older adults (age 50+) with bipolar disorder to allow researchers from the Douglas Institute, or other researchers, in Canada, the United States and around the world, to use the database for future research projects exploring possible relationships between age, medical conditions and bipolar symptoms. Following completion of data collection, the data including all outcomes and demographic and health information, anonymized and free of any identifying or personal information, will be sent to Dr. Betsy Wilson (more info on Dr. Wilson further below) via Box (https://case.edu/utech/help/knowledge-base/box/box-information), a secure cloud storage service managed by Case Western University.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Csr
This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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