Author: Hariprasad VR, Varambally S, Shivakumar V, Kalmady SV, Venkatasubramanian G, Gangadhar BN.
Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Advanced Centre for Yoga in Mental Health and Neurosciences, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Conference/Journal: Indian J Psychiatry.
Date published: 2013 Jul
Other:
Volume ID: 55 , Issue ID: Supp. 3 , Pages: S394-6 , Special Notes: doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.116309 , Word Count: 101
CONTEXT:
The neurobiological effect of yoga on the cortical structures in the elderly is as yet unknown.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Seven healthy elderly subjects received yoga intervention as an add-on life-style practice. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained before and 6 months later. Voxel-based-morphometric analyses compared the brains before and after the yoga.
RESULTS:
Yoga group was found to have increases in hippocampal, but not in occipital gray matter.
CONCLUSION:
Yoga has potential to reduce neuro-senescence. Small sample size and absence of the control group prevent generalization of the findings limiting its translational value.
KEYWORDS:
Elderly, hippocampus, magnetic resonance imaging, yoga
PMID: 24049206