Yoga and Alzheimer's Disease: Forgetfulness will be eliminated, and memory will be as strong as iron with yoga!

AIIMS Delhi Yoga Study: Researchers at Delhi-based AIIMS have recently found in a study that regular yoga practice can be beneficial for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Can yoga improve memory in Alzheimer's patients?

Yoga Benefits for Brain Health: Every year on June 21st, the world celebrates International Yoga Day. The United Nations officially recognized it as an international day in December 2014, following a proposal from India. This year's Yoga Day theme is "Yoga for Healthy Aging." Interestingly, this theme is not just a message but also appears to be reinforced through scientific research.

In which diseases is yoga beneficial?

Researchers at AIIMS, Delhi, recently found in a study that regular yoga practice may be beneficial for patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The research, published in the Alzheimer's Disease Journal, was conducted jointly by the Departments of Anatomy and Neurology at AIIMS. The study included patients with mild Alzheimer's. Participants performed 60-minute daily supervised yoga sessions for 12 weeks. Their mental capacity, depression symptoms, and gut bacterial composition were evaluated at the beginning and end of the study.

What changes happened after doing yoga?

The results showed positive changes across all three levels. Patients' cognitive abilities improved as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Depressive symptoms, measured by the PHQ-9 scale, also significantly decreased. The most interesting change was observed in the gut microbiome. Following the yoga program, beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia intestinalis, Bifidobacterium, and Akkermansia increased. These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids, which are linked to reduced inflammation and improved brain and gut health. In contrast, inflammatory microbiome factors such as Collinsella aerofaciens and Klebsiella were reduced.

Whose role is behind this?