2023-09-18 06:00:04
A new study highlights the benefits of yoga in reducing the probability of developing Alzheimer’s disease, particularly for people at risk. The practice of this gentle activity is within the reach of people who have difficulty performing other physical exercises, and yet seems to have significant effects in avoiding developing this disease.
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Researchers from the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (United States) looked into the benefits of a particular type of yoga: Kundalini yoga. The latter brings together various techniques combining breathing, mental visualization, meditation and chanting. According to the result of their researchrecently published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the practice of this activity could have positive effects on a specific region of the brain.
To reach these conclusions, scientists analyzed the brains of 22 participants aged around sixty using an MRI, who suffered from cognitive decline and cardiovascular risk factors that could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (accumulation plaque in the arteries, recent heart attack, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia or high blood pressure). Among these participants, half had previously followed regular Kundalini classes while the others had followed training to improve the memory.
For both groups, training sessions amounted to one hour per week for 12 weeks. The researchers were able to see on the MRI images functionalthat those who practiced Kundalini showed an increase in connectivity in specific regions of the hippocampus known to be particularly affected by stress and be associated with cognitive impairment.
Other previous studies had already revealed that practicing this gentle activity also had beneficial effects on depression in elderly people. These encouraging results could benefit people at risk, who are limited in their physical activities. However, it will be necessary to deepen this research on a larger scale to confirm these first observations. And regarding people able to do more physical exercise, we remind you our recent article who discussed the benefits of these on Alzheimer’s disease.
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