Kundalini Yoga Boosts Brain Health in Older Women at Risk for Alzheimer’s
A groundbreaking study by UCLA Health has revealed that Kundalini yoga can offer remarkable cognitive benefits to older women at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, including restoring neural pathways, preventing brain tissue loss, and reversing biomarkers linked to aging and inflammation. These benefits were not seen in a control group that participated in standard memory training exercises.
Published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, this research adds to a long line of UCLA studies over the last 15 years comparing the effects of yoga and traditional memory improvement exercises on slowing cognitive decline and addressing dementia risk factors.
Led by UCLA psychiatrist Dr. Helen Lavretsky of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, the study sought to determine whether Kundalini yoga could be used as a proactive measure to prevent cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s progression in postmenopausal women, a group that faces twice the risk of developing the disease compared to men, due to factors like longer life expectancy, hormonal changes during menopause, and genetics.
The Study: Kundalini Yoga vs. Memory Training
Over 60 women aged 50 and older, all of whom self-reported memory issues and cerebrovascular risk factors, were recruited from a UCLA cardiology center. They were split into two groups: one practiced Kundalini yoga for 12 weeks, while the other underwent weekly memory enhancement training during the same period. The yoga sessions focused on meditation and breathwork, while the memory training, developed by the UCLA Longevity Center, included exercises to improve long-term memory retention, such as using stories to remember lists or organizing grocery items. Participants also completed daily research tasks.
Yoga’s Remarkable Impact on Cognitive Function
After 12 weeks, researchers assessed the women’s cognition, memory, depression, and anxiety levels. Blood samples were also taken to analyze aging markers and inflammation-related molecules, key contributors to Alzheimer’s. Some participants were even scanned with MRIs to study any changes in brain structure.
The results were striking: women in the Kundalini yoga group experienced significant improvements not seen in the memory training group. These included better memory recall, prevention of brain tissue loss, increased hippocampal connectivity (the region of the brain involved in memory and stress), and improved anti-inflammatory markers and anti-aging gene expression.
Dr. Lavretsky noted, “Yoga helps reduce stress, improve brain health, enhance memory, and reduce inflammation. It also fosters neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and grow.”
Meanwhile, the memory training group primarily showed improvements in long-term memory but didn’t experience the same brain health or anti-aging benefits.
Yoga: A Powerful Ally in Alzheimer’s Prevention
While both groups showed no significant changes in anxiety, depression, or resilience—likely because the participants were generally healthy—the research suggests that Kundalini yoga could be an effective tool in combating cognitive decline in older women, especially when combined with traditional memory exercises.
Dr. Lavretsky emphasized that, “Ideally, people should incorporate both yoga and memory training. They activate different areas of the brain and have complementary health effects. Yoga offers anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing, and neuroplastic benefits that would support memory training.”
Though more long-term studies are needed, this research strongly suggests that Kundalini yoga could be a promising addition to Alzheimer’s prevention strategies, offering an accessible and holistic approach to preserving cognitive health in aging women.