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Deep involvement in the negative mood over long periods of time likely results in emotional disturbances/disorders and poor mental health. Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is regarded as a typical mind-body practice combining aerobic exercise and meditation to prevent and treat negative mood. Although there are an increasing number of TCC studies examining anxiety, depression, and mental stress, the mechanisms underlying these negative emotions are not fully understood. This review study examined TCC studies related to emotional health from both clinical patients and healthy individuals. Next, several potential mechanisms from physiological, psychological, and neurological perspectives were evaluated based on direct and indirect research evidence. We reviewed recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies, which demonstrated changes in brain anatomy and function, mainly in the prefrontal cortex, following TCC practice. Finally, the effects of TCC on emotion/mental health is depicted with a prefrontal cortex hypothesis that proposed "an immune system of the mind" indicating the role of the prefrontal cortex as a flexible hub in regulating an individual's mental health. The prefrontal cortex is likely a key biomarker among the multiple complex neural correlates to help an individual manage negative emotions/mental health. Future research is needed to examine TCC effects on mental health by examining the relationship between the executive control system (mainly prefrontal cortex) and limbic network (including amygdala, insula, and hippocampal gyrus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To survey and analyse the prognosis, outcome, and changing tendency of the Acute Myocardial Infarction (A MI) patients in Beijing third-grade A-level Traditional Chinese Medicine (TC M) hospitals. Methods. We collected the clinical datum of hospitalized A MI patients in Beijing 6 TC M hospitals from January 1999 to December 2008 and then analysed the clinical datum. Results. (1) The mean age of patients had showed a slowly rising tendency during this ten years. The patients who had previous history of cerebrovascular diseasea and multiple comorbidities had increased year by year. (2) The rate of reperfusion therapy, revascularization and standardized using of drug, and usage of TC M of A MI patients presented a significant increasing tendency in these hospitals. (3) The proportion of A MI patients combined with cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure had decreased significantly. (4) The A MI mortality presented a decreasing tendency in 10 years. Conclusions. The A MI patients in Beijing TC M hospitals had their own unique clinical features, and it can improve their prognosis by combined therapy ofWestern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]