New Delhi, June 20: A new study by researchers at AIIMS Delhi has found that yoga may help enhance cognitive function, reduce depressive symptoms and promote healthier gut bacteria in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease.
Published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the collaborative study by the Departments of Anatomy and Neurology examined the impact of a 12-week structured yoga programme on patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s. Participants attended supervised 60-minute yoga sessions daily and were assessed for cognitive performance, mood and gut microbial composition before and after the intervention.
Researchers reported significant improvements in cognitive scores and a marked decline in depression levels. The study also found an increase in beneficial gut bacteria linked to reduced inflammation and better brain health, while levels of potentially harmful microbes decreased.
Dr Rima Dada, Professor in the Department of Anatomy at AIIMS and corresponding author of the study, said the findings offer preliminary evidence that yoga may help create a healthier microbial environment in the gut, potentially benefiting brain function.
Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head of Neurology at AIIMS Delhi, stressed that yoga is not a cure for Alzheimer’s but could serve as a valuable complementary therapy in early stages of the disease and mild cognitive impairment.
The researchers noted that the findings support the role of the gut-brain axis in Alzheimer’s and suggest that yoga may influence brain health by reducing stress and improving autonomic nervous system regulation.
However, they cautioned that the study had limitations, including a small sample size and the absence of a control group, and called for larger clinical trials to confirm the results.
Despite these limitations, the study adds to growing evidence that yoga could be a low-cost, accessible and non-pharmacological tool to support cognitive and emotional well-being in people living with Alzheimer’s disease.
