Effects of Hatha yoga on cognitive functions in the elderly: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Hatha yoga practice on cognitive functions in the elderly. Thirty healthy older men participated in this  study. They belonged to 2 groups. The first group included 15 Hatha yoga practitioners for at least 2 years. The control group involved 15 male older  adults who shared the same characteristics (age, years of formal education, and level of physical activity) as the Hatha yoga group but were  naive to yoga, meditation, or any mind-body intervention. Neuropsychological tests were applied to measure selective attention, sustained  attention, episodic memory, and processing speed. The following tests were administered: The French adaptation of the Victoria Stroop test, the  Zazzo’s Cancellation Task, the Five Word Test, and a battery of computerized tests to evaluate reaction time. Long-term Hatha yoga practice showed  promising results related to executive functions and reaction time, but no significant difference was found between the two groups in episodic  memory and sustained attention although a trend of improvement was observed in favor of Hatha yoga practitioners. In conclusion, long-term  Hatha yoga practitioners have better cognitive abilities compared to the control group in certain aspects of cognitive functions. Further  physiological and psychological variables need to be examined in order to highlight the correlation between yoga intervention and cognitive  performance.