Optimal doses of mind-body exercise on neuroinflammation in individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health March 1, 2026 Qingying Zheng, Guoyuan Huang, Qian Liu et al.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled trials involving 2253 adults with neuropsychiatric disorders found that mind-body exercises such as Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction significantly reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), while increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed a non-significant trend toward benefit. The most effective dosage was between 600 and 1000 MET-minutes per week. Tai Chi and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ranked best for reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, while Qigong showed the greatest benefits for neurotrophic outcomes. Participant characteristics and exercise parameters moderated the effects, suggesting personalized prescriptions may enhance outcomes.