Growth hormone (GH) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) secretion decline with advancing age and are associated with the symptoms of aging. Yogic texts claimed that regular practice of yoga may restore and maintain general endocrinological properties in the human body. Objective of the Study. To observe the effect of yogic training for twelve weeks on basal level of GH and DHEAS in middle aged group. Method. Forty-five untrained volunteers were divided into two groups, that is, yoga practicing (experimental: male 15, age 42.80 ± 7.43 yrs; female 8, age 44.75 ± 8.40 yrs) and waitlisted control group (male 15, age 41.67 ± 7.87 yrs; female 7, age 45.43 ± 7.00 yrs). The experimental group underwent combined yogic practices daily in the morning for 6 days/week for 12 weeks, whereas control group continued their usual routine activities. Standing height, body weight, body mass index, and basal level of GH and DHEAS were measured before commencement and after six and twelve weeks of yogic training period. The repeated measure ANOVA was used for data analysis. Results. 12 weeks of yogic training produces a significant increase in GH and DHEAS for both male and female groups as compared to their baseline data, whereas no as such changes were observed in the control group. Conclusion. Combined approach of graded yogic training may be beneficial for maintaining the basal level of GH and DHEAS in the human body, thus promoting healthy aging.

Background: Neurocognitive abilities are the brain-mind skills needed to initiate any task from the simplest to the most complex, decreases with advancing age. Attention, alertness, and memory are the basic neurocognitive functions most affected by age. There are potential benefits of yoga on neurocognitive functions because this ancient Indian technique positively nurtures the mind-body systems. Aim of the Study: The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of yogic training on neurocognitive abilities in a middle-aged group. Methods: A total of 86 volunteers (46 male and 40 females, age group of 35–55 years), with no prior experience of yoga were participated in this study. Five male and 4 female participants were excluded from the study. All participants divided into yoga training group (male = 21 and female = 18) and control group (male = 20 and female = 18). The yoga training group underwent yoga practices, including kriya, surya namaskar, asana, pranayama, and dhyana daily in the morning, for 6 days/week, for 12 weeks. Standing height, body weight, body mass index, visual reaction time (RT), auditory RT (attention and alertness), and short-term memory were assessed day 1 (pre), 6 th week (mid), and 12 th weeks (post) of intervention. Results: Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed that a statistically significant increased ( P < 0.05) in attention-alertness and short-term memory after 12 weeks of yogic practices. Conclusion: Integrated approach of yogic intervention may have promising effect on neurocognitive abilities that concomitantly promote successful aging.

Background: Modern lifestyle leads a greater psychotechnological stress and it results increase of autonomic imbalances. This predicts disturbance of the normal mental state and cognition. The current researchers found clear relationship between yoga practice and parasympathetic dominance. Objectives: The purpose of the review study was to analyze the scientific literatures related to yoga and autonomic neural responses. Methods: Researchers collected scientific evidences through electronic online databases; PubMed, Embase, Medline, Google scholar, Web of science, PsycINFO, Shodhganga; Europe PMC; Scopus and critically analyzed all the entire relevant articles according to the purpose of this study. After the exhaustive search and selecting the studies on the basis of inclusion criteria, 11 full text articles of galvanic skin resistance and 75 articles related to autonomic function were shortlisted for qualitative analysis. Results: Yogic practices including meditation, pranayama, asana and integrated yoga increase the high frequency band and decrease the low frequency band of the heart rate variability spectrum and it reduces the stress via limbic activity and increases the better psychophysiological relaxation. Conclusions: Yogic practice may enhance the vagal activity which influences autonomic flexibility.

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