Adults practicing a standardized daily yoga routine for 45 days reported positive affect scores about 4 points higher and negative affect scores about 3.5 points lower than a control group, according to research published in Scientific Reports.
The randomized controlled trial, conducted between October 2023 and January 2025 at a university in Pune, India, examined how brain connectivity responds to a structured protocol combining postures, breathing, and meditation. The study was penned by scientists representing HealthCare Global Enterprises, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, and the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy.
Researchers recruited healthy adults for the yoga trial
Investigators recruited healthy adults aged 18 to 55 through campus appeals and flyers. Candidates with major neurological or psychiatric illnesses, recent surgery, or prior yoga experience were excluded from the trial.
Out of 139 participants randomly assigned to either a yoga group or a waitlist control group, 125 individuals completed the 45-day intervention. The yoga cohort followed the expert-designed Common Yoga Protocol in 50-minute daily sessions led by a single instructor.
Changes in Sleep and Verbal Recall
Participants in the yoga group registered sleep quality scores about 1.2 points lower than controls after adjusting for baseline metrics, which indicated self-reported improvements. The yoga cohort also scored higher on forward number-repeat tests and combined scores, pointing to enhanced short-term verbal recall.
Performance on backward number-repeat tests and symbol matching tests showed no significant differences between the two groups. Two serious health events occurred during the trial, though study authors stated both incidents were unrelated to the intervention.
Brain Scans Reveal Neural Shifts
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans of 43 participants revealed altered connectivity across motor, attention, and language networks. Left and right lateral sensorimotor networks showed tighter links with frontal gyri, regions involved in motor planning.
The dorsal attention network displayed stronger connections with the precuneus and the superior parietal lobule. The team observed that more substantial emotional boosts correlated with smaller increments in connectivity between the precuneus and the dorsal attention network.
Study limitations and calls for larger investigations
Study authors noted that because the control group lacked a comparable group activity, social participation may have contributed to the observed benefits. Participant awareness of group assignments could also have influenced self-reported mood and sleep questionnaires.
The published findings provide preliminary evidence supporting sustained yoga practice for cognitive health. However, the trial did not assess dementia prevention or long-term durability, prompting calls for larger, multicenter investigations with extended follow-up periods.
Questions about the yoga routine and brain imaging
What specific yoga routine did the participants follow?
Participants followed the Common Yoga Protocol, an expert-designed routine lasting about 50 minutes per day that combines loosening exercises, postures, breathing practices, guided relaxation, and meditation.
How many participants underwent brain imaging?
A randomly selected subgroup of 43 participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging with their eyes closed before and after the 45-day trial.
Did the study measure long-term cognitive decline?
No, the researchers did not examine cognitive decline or dementia prevention, and they recommended larger, multicenter studies to determine how long the neural changes last.
Keep reading