A yoga program for cognitive enhancement

Brunner, Devon; Abramovitch, Amitai; Etherton, Joseph L.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0182366

Cited by 48 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Notably, Tai Chi belongs to the mindful activities that have recently become popular among older adults, and there is a growing line of research relating these activities to cognition. Yoga is one of them (54), but more so Tai Chi. A meta-analysis on Tai Chi found that it enhances cognitive function in older adults, particularly executive functioning (55).…”

Section: Motor (Neuromuscular) Activities and Cogntion—selected Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?—A Narrative Review

Netz

2019

Front. Med.

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The aim of this review is to examine the moderating effect of the mode of exercise on the exercise-cognition relationship. Is one mode of exercise more efficient in enhancing cognition than the other? For example, is aerobic exercise preferable over balance training? Based on official guidelines for old age, exercise modes include aerobic activity, strength (resistance) training, flexibility, balance, and coordination. In relation to cognition, these exercise modes are further divided into two categories: physical training—aerobic and strength, and motor training—balance, coordination, and flexibility. The physical training activities are repetitive and automatic in nature, and require high metabolic energy and relatively low neuromuscular effort. The motor activities involve high neuromuscular demands and relatively low metabolic demands. In addition, there are specific movement skills that require more neuromuscular effort (e.g., Tai Chi), and sometimes also greater metabolic demands (e.g., tennis). Selected studies examining the effect of various modes of exercise on cognition contend that both training categories affect neuroplasticity, and consequently cognitive functioning. However, there are two main differences between them: (1) Physical training affects cognition via improvement in cardiovascular fitness, whereas motor training affects cognition directly; (2) Physical training affects neuroplasticity and cognition in a global manner, while motor training is task-specific in increasing brain neuroplasticity and in affecting cognition. Examining the underpinnings of these pathways reveals that there is a difference in the underlying forces behind the two training categories. In the physical training category, it is the intensity of training that enhances neuroplasticity and consequently improves cognition, while in the motor activities it is the task complexity that increases neuroplasticity, which improves cognition. Dual-task training, which includes cognitive demands in addition to physical or motor activity, has proven more effective in improving cognitive functioning than a single task. The implications are that if all training components traditionally recommended by official bodies—physical as well as motor training—are efficient in enhancing cognition, then we merely have to emphasize the inclusion of all exercise modes in our routine exercise regimen for physical as well as cognitive health in advanced age.

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Section: Motor (Neuromuscular) Activities and Cogntion—selected Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?—A Narrative Review

Netz

2019

Front. Med.

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“…Another factor that may influence the results of the study is the specific cognitive test used [35] and the natural variation seen in the task performance based on the day and time [36, 37]. In fact, the ancient science of Swara Yoga describes the circadian changes in the dominant nasal flow and autonomic nervous system functions, which ultimately affect various mental and physiological functions of the body [38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Unilateral Left Nostril Breathing (Chandra Anga Pranayama) on Cognitive Function in Healthy Yoga-Naïve Individuals: A Randomized, Controlled, Pilot Study

2020

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Introduction: Breathing modulates cortical neuronal activity. Various breathing exercises are purported to have specific effects on emotional and cognitive functions. Objective: To determine the effect of unilateral left nostril breathing (ULNB) on nonlateralized, overall cognitive functions using computerized psychometric tests. Methods: A randomized, controlled, pilot study was conducted among 20 healthy yoga-naïve medical students. ULNB was performed for 15 min by the test group (n = 10) and breath awareness by the control group (n = 10). Attention and processing speed, memory, and executive function were assessed using the Letter-Digit Substitution Test, Sternberg Memory Task, and Victoria Stroop Test, respectively. Baseline, pre- and postintervention scores were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in baseline scores. In the Sternberg Memory Task, a statistically significant decrease in response time was seen in the test (t(9) = 3.855, p = 0.004) as well as the control group (t(9) = 3.120, p = 0.012); there was no significant difference between the groups. No significant effect of UNLB was seen in the Letter-Digit Substitution Test and Stroop Test. Conclusions: Our study showed no difference in the effects of 15-min practice of ULNB and breath awareness on cognitive functions; both improved memory but not attention or executive function.

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“…Previous interventional and cohort studies had investigated the protective effect of physical activity on cognitive performance in the elderly. Most of the published interventional studies focused on light to moderate sports activities, including walking, gymnastics, yoga, and aerobic exercises 28 , 29 . The results of these earlier studies indicated that the dosage and intensity of the training might be important for preventing the deterioration of cognitive function.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High intensity endurance training is associated with better quality of life, but not with improved cognitive functions in elderly marathon runners

Batmyagmar

Kundi

Ponocny‐Seliger³

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Impairment of cognitive functions in advanced age leads to a reduced quality of life and impaired ability to perform everyday tasks. The positive impact of physical exercise on the quality of life and well-being, also at a later age, is well established. However, the effect of endurance exercises, including long distance running and cycling, on cognitive function and mental health within the elderly population has still to be elucidated. To this end, elderly active marathoners (N = 50) aged over 60 years and non-athlete controls (N = 49) were followed for four years. Cognitive function was assessed using the CERAD test battery. In addition, the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was applied to assess self-reported physical, mental, and emotional health. Except for age, sex and education-corrected z-values of the test “Word list recall”, with marathon runners showing a decline compared to an improvement in controls (p < 0.05), there was no statistically significant difference in time trend between groups. In contrast, concerning self-reported health, scores in all eight domains of the SF-36 remained stable over time and, in nearly all of them, marathon runners showed higher self-reported health than controls. The results indicated that extensive endurance exercise is associated with improved subjective health but does not lead to better scores in cognitive performance tests in elderly persons.

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A yoga program for cognitive enhancement

Cited by 48 publications

References 51 publications

Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?—A Narrative Review

Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?—A Narrative Review

Effect of Unilateral Left Nostril Breathing (Chandra Anga Pranayama) on Cognitive Function in Healthy Yoga-Naïve Individuals: A Randomized, Controlled, Pilot Study

High intensity endurance training is associated with better quality of life, but not with improved cognitive functions in elderly marathon runners

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