Key result
A 12-week yoga intervention significantly improved perceived cognitive functioning compared to indoor cycling in sedentary healthy women, though no significant differences in cerebral glucose metabolism or synaptic density were observed.
Why the study?
Interventional yoga studies with an active control group remain scarce and are important to clarify the underlying neurobiology.
Does a 12-week yoga intervention improve psychometric outcomes and cerebral metabolism compared to indoor cycling in sedentary healthy female subjects?
RCT (n=30)
Open-label
Physical blinded number picking
No
Does a 12-week yoga intervention improve psychometric outcomes and cerebral metabolism compared to indoor cycling in sedentary healthy female subjects?
A 12-week yoga intervention improves interoceptive awareness and perceived cognitive function in healthy sedentary females compared to indoor cycling, though without macroscopic cerebral metabolic or morphologic changes.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Yoga may enhance interoceptive awareness and perceived cognition in healthy starters; leaves open whether longer practice alters cerebral metabolism or synaptic density.
Interventional yoga studies with an active control group remain scarce and are important to clarify the underlying neurobiology. We conducted an interventional study in healthy controls using simultaneous positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging and psychometric scales. Thirty healthy, female volunteers (28.4 ± 8.4 years) participated and were randomly assigned to a 12-week yoga or indoor cycling intervention. Before and after the intervention, [ 18 F]FDG and [ 11 C]UCB-J PET was performed on a simultaneous GE Signa PET/MR with volumetric imaging. Psychometric scales were evaluated on affect, mindfulness, stress, worrying, self-compassion, and interoceptive awareness. Yoga subjects scored higher on interoceptive awareness compared to baseline ( p < 0.001). Cognitive ( P = 0.009) and overall cognitive functioning ( P = 0.01) improved after the yoga intervention compared to the cycling group. We did not observe significant differences in glucose metabolism, synaptic density, or gray matter (GM) volume. The indoor cycling group did not show changes in psychometric variables, but significant increases in relative glucose metabolism were observed in the parahippocampal/fusiform gyrus and cerebellum ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, 12 weeks of yoga practice has significant effects on interoceptive awareness and perceived cognitive function in starters. Longer interventions and/or higher frequency of yoga practice may be needed to detect cerebral metabolic and/or morphologic effects on the macroscopic level.
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Aalst et al. (2021) conducted an RCT in Sedentary healthy subjects (n=30). Yoga vs. Indoor aerobic cycling was evaluated on Cognitive functioning (Leuven Affect and Pleasure Scale subscale) (p=0.009). A 12-week yoga intervention significantly improved perceived cognitive functioning compared to indoor cycling in sedentary healthy women, though no significant differences in cerebral glucose metabolism or synaptic density were observed.
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