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?

Experts believe the gut-brain axis may play a key role in this. Several studies over the past few years have shown that gut bacteria not only influence the immune system and inflammation, but can also impact brain function. Dr. Reema Dada, professor in the Department of Anatomy at AIIMS and lead researcher of the study, says this study provides preliminary evidence that lifestyle activities like yoga may help create a healthy gut microbiome environment. She suggests that an increase in beneficial bacteria and a decrease in harmful microbiomes may be linked to biological processes that improve brain health.

Is yoga a cure for Alzheimer's?

Meanwhile, Dr. Manjari Tripathi, head of the neurology department at AIIMS Delhi, clarified that yoga cannot be considered a cure for Alzheimer's. However, it may prove useful as an adjunct therapy for early-stage patients and those with mild cognitive impairment. She stated that the study documented positive changes in mental ability, mood, and gut microbial communities. However, the researchers also acknowledged that the sample size was small and cannot be considered definitive.