1 176 109 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF KUNDALINI YOGA IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. BACKGROUND: GLOBAL POPULATION AGING WILL RESULT IN INCREASING RATES OF COGNITIVE DECLINE AND DEMENTIA. THUS, EFFECTIVE, LOW-COST, AND LOW SIDE-EFFECT INTERVENTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF COGNITIVE DECLINE ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. OUR STUDY IS THE FIRST TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF KUNDALINI YOGA (KY) TRAINING ON MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI). METHODS: OLDER PARTICIPANTS (>/=55 YEARS OF AGE) WITH MCI WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER A 12-WEEK KY INTERVENTION OR MEMORY ENHANCEMENT TRAINING (MET; GOLD-STANDARD, ACTIVE CONTROL). COGNITIVE (I.E. MEMORY AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING) AND MOOD (I.E. DEPRESSION, APATHY, AND RESILIENCE) ASSESSMENTS WERE ADMINISTERED AT BASELINE, 12 WEEKS AND 24 WEEKS. RESULTS: AT BASELINE, 81 PARTICIPANTS HAD NO SIGNIFICANT BASELINE GROUP DIFFERENCES IN CLINICAL OR DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. AT 12 WEEKS AND 24 WEEKS, BOTH KY AND MET GROUPS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN MEMORY; HOWEVER, ONLY KY SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING. ONLY THE KY GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND RESILIENCE AT WEEK 12. CONCLUSION: KY GROUP SHOWED SHORT- AND LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AS COMPARED TO MET, AND BROADER EFFECTS ON DEPRESSED MOOD AND RESILIENCE. THIS OBSERVATION SHOULD BE CONFIRMED IN FUTURE CLINICAL TRIALS OF YOGA INTERVENTION FOR TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF COGNITIVE DECLINE (NCT01983930). 2017
2 1898 31 RESTORATIVE YOGA AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS: THE PRACTICING RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING FOR THE METABOLIC SYNDROME (PRYSMS) RANDOMIZED TRIAL. AIMS: INTENSIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGE PREVENTS TYPE 2 DIABETES BUT IS DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY IMPROVE METABOLIC FACTORS. WE TESTED A RESTORATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION VS. ACTIVE STRETCHING FOR METABOLIC OUTCOMES. METHODS: IN 2009-2012, WE CONDUCTED A 48-WEEK RANDOMIZED TRIAL COMPARING RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING AMONG UNDERACTIVE ADULTS WITH THE METABOLIC SYNDROME AT THE UNIVERSITIES OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO AND SAN DIEGO. WE PROVIDED LIFESTYLE COUNSELING AND A TAPERING SERIES OF 90-MIN GROUP CLASSES IN THE 24-WEEK INTERVENTION PERIOD AND 24-WEEK MAINTENANCE PERIOD. FASTING AND 2-H GLUCOSE, HBA1C, TRIGLYCERIDES, HDL-CHOLESTEROL, INSULIN, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, VISCERAL FAT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 6- AND 12-MONTHS. RESULTS: 180 PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED AND 135 (75%) COMPLETED THE TRIAL. AT 12 MONTHS, FASTING GLUCOSE DECREASED MORE IN THE YOGA GROUP THAN IN THE STRETCHING GROUP (-0.35 MMOL/L VS. -0.03 MMOL/L; P=0.002); THERE WERE NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS. AT 6 MONTHS FAVORABLE CHANGES WITHIN THE YOGA GROUP INCLUDED REDUCTIONS IN FASTING GLUCOSE, INSULIN, AND HBA1C AND AN INCREASE IN HDL-CHOLESTEROL THAT WERE NOT SUSTAINED AT 1 YEAR EXCEPT CHANGES IN FASTING GLUCOSE. THE STRETCHING GROUP HAD A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TRIGLYCERIDES AT 6 MONTHS WHICH WAS NOT SUSTAINED AT 1 YEAR BUT HAD IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE AT BOTH TIME-POINTS. CONCLUSIONS: RESTORATIVE YOGA WAS MARGINALLY BETTER THAN STRETCHING FOR IMPROVING FASTING GLUCOSE BUT NOT OTHER METABOLIC FACTORS. 2014
3 2277 34 THE ROLES OF EXERCISE AND YOGA IN AMELIORATING DEPRESSION AS A RISK FACTOR FOR COGNITIVE DECLINE. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO EFFECTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL TREATMENTS TO REDUCE COGNITIVE DECLINE OR PREVENT DEMENTIA. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GLOBAL POPULATION IS AGING, AND RATES OF DEMENTIA AND MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI) ARE ON THE RISE. AS SUCH, THERE IS AN INCREASING INTEREST IN COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTIONS TO TREAT OR REDUCE THE RISK OF COGNITIVE DECLINE. DEPRESSION IS ONE POTENTIALLY MODIFIABLE RISK FACTOR FOR COGNITIVE DECLINE AND DEMENTIA. NOTABLY, EXERCISE AND YOGA ARE TWO INTERVENTIONS KNOWN TO BOTH REDUCE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTION. THE CURRENT REVIEW DISCUSSES THE EFFICACY OF EXERCISE AND YOGA TO AMELIORATE DEPRESSION AND THEREBY REDUCE THE RISK OF COGNITIVE DECLINE AND POTENTIALLY PREVENT DEMENTIA. POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF CHANGE, TREATMENT IMPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS ARE DISCUSSED. 2016
4 944 44 EFFECTS OF A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION ON METABOLIC RISK AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METABOLIC SYNDROME. OBJECTIVE: TO DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE METABOLIC RISK PROFILES AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) IN CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS). METHODS: WE CONDUCTED A CONTROLLED TRIAL WITHIN AN UNIVERSITY-AFFILIATED HOSPITAL. 173 CHINESE MEN AND WOMEN AGED 18 OR ABOVE WERE ASSIGNED TO EITHER THE YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP (N = 87) OR THE CONTROL GROUP (N = 86). PRIMARY OUTCOMES INCLUDED 12-WEEK CHANGE IN METABOLIC RISK FACTORS AND METS Z SCORE. SECONDARY OUTCOME WAS HRQOL (MEDICAL OUTCOMES SHORT FORM SURVEY AT 12 WEEKS). RESULTS: THE MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS WAS 52.0 (SD 7.4, RANGE 31-71) YEARS. ANALYSIS INVOLVING THE ENTIRE STUDY POPULATION REVEALED THAT THE YOGA GROUP ACHIEVED GREATER DECLINE IN WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE (P<0.001), FASTING GLUCOSE (P<0.01), TRIGLYCERIDES (P<0.05), AND METS Z SCORE (P<0.01). YOGA TRAINING ALSO IMPROVED GENERAL HEALTH PERCEPTIONS (P<0.01), PHYSICAL COMPONENT SCORE (P<0.01), AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING (P<0.01) DOMAINS SCORE OF HRQOL. HOWEVER, NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE OBSERVED IN THE MEAN CHANGE OF SYSTOLIC/DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES OR HIGH-DENSITY LIPID PROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (ALL P>0.05). THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE INTERVENTION EFFECTS ON WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND METS Z SCORE BETWEEN THE METS SUBGROUPS (BOTH P>0.05). CONCLUSION: A 12-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION IMPROVES METABOLIC RISK PROFILES AND HRQOL IN CHINESE ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT METS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: AUSTRALIAN NEW ZEALAND CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY ACTRN12613000816752. 2015
5 938 34 EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR YOGA ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS) IS A CLUSTERING OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO PEOPLE WITH METS HAS CONSIDERABLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON DISEASE PREVENTIVE OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR OF YOGA EXERCISE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH METS. METHODS: ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH METS USING NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA (N = 182; MEAN +/- SD AGE = 56 +/- 9.1) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL WERE EXAMINED AT BASELINE, MIDWAY, AND ON COMPLETION OF THE STUDY. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND CALORIC INTAKE WERE ASSESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE COVARIATE ANALYSES. RESULTS: A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC COMPONENTS FOR METS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA INTERVENTION. WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION. A TREND TOWARDS A DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METS. THESE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE COMPLEMENTARY BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGING METS. 2015
6 455 51 CHANGES IN NEURAL CONNECTIVITY AND MEMORY FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND: NO STUDY HAS EXPLORED THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON COGNITIVE DECLINE AND RESTING-STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY. OBJECTIVES: THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERFORMANCE ON MEMORY TESTS AND RESTING-STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY BEFORE AND AFTER A YOGA INTERVENTION VERSUS ACTIVE CONTROL FOR SUBJECTS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (MCI). METHODS: PARTICIPANTS ( >/= 55 Y) WITH MCI WERE RANDOMIZED TO RECEIVE A YOGA INTERVENTION OR ACTIVE "GOLD-STANDARD" CONTROL (I.E., MEMORY ENHANCEMENT TRAINING (MET)) FOR 12 WEEKS. RESTING-STATE FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING WAS USED TO MAP CORRELATIONS BETWEEN BRAIN NETWORKS AND MEMORY PERFORMANCE CHANGES OVER TIME. DEFAULT MODE NETWORKS (DMN), LANGUAGE AND SUPERIOR PARIETAL NETWORKS WERE CHOSEN AS NETWORKS OF INTEREST TO ANALYZE THE ASSOCIATION WITH CHANGES IN VERBAL AND VISUOSPATIAL MEMORY PERFORMANCE. RESULTS: FOURTEEN YOGA AND 11 MET PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE STUDY. THE YOGA GROUP DEMONSTRATED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN DEPRESSION AND VISUOSPATIAL MEMORY. WE OBSERVED IMPROVED VERBAL MEMORY PERFORMANCE CORRELATED WITH INCREASED CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE DMN AND FRONTAL MEDIAL CORTEX, PREGENUAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX, RIGHT MIDDLE FRONTAL CORTEX, POSTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX, AND LEFT LATERAL OCCIPITAL CORTEX. IMPROVED VERBAL MEMORY PERFORMANCE POSITIVELY CORRELATED WITH INCREASED CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE LANGUAGE PROCESSING NETWORK AND THE LEFT INFERIOR FRONTAL GYRUS. IMPROVED VISUOSPATIAL MEMORY PERFORMANCE CORRELATED INVERSELY WITH CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE SUPERIOR PARIETAL NETWORK AND THE MEDIAL PARIETAL CORTEX. CONCLUSION: YOGA MAY BE AS EFFECTIVE AS MET IN IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY IN RELATION TO VERBAL MEMORY PERFORMANCE. THESE FINDINGS SHOULD BE CONFIRMED IN LARGER PROSPECTIVE STUDIES. 2016
7 178 35 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC OUTCOMES IN WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A FEASIBILITY STUDY. BACKGROUND: TYPE TWO DIABETES IS A COMPLEX AND DEMANDING CHRONIC DISEASE AND ITS IMPACT IN A STATE (KERALA) WHICH LEADS INDIA IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH DIABETES IS PROFOUND. THOUGH THE MALE TO FEMALE RATIO AMONG THE PEOPLE WITH DIABETES IS ROUGHLY EQUAL, WOMEN ARE UNIQUELY AND MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED. MANAGEMENT OF TYPE TWO DIABETES REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE DEXTERITY ON THE PART OF THE PATIENT TO MANAGE DRUGS, DIET AND EXERCISE. THEREFORE, IN A LOW MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRY LIKE INDIA IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK AT LOW COST INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN EMPOWER THE PATIENT AND BUILD ON AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO HELP MANAGE DIABETES. HENCE, WE STUDIED THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFECT OF TWO LOW COST INTERVENTIONS; YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC AND OTHER OUTCOMES AMONG WOMEN WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES. METHODS: AN OPEN LABEL PARALLEL THREE ARMED RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED AMONG 124 RECRUITED WOMEN WITH DIABETES FOR THREE MONTHS. BLOCK RANDOMIZATION WITH A BLOCK LENGTH OF SIX WAS CARRIED OUT WITH EACH GROUP HAVING AT LEAST 41 WOMEN. IN THE YOGA ARM, SESSIONS BY AN INSTRUCTOR, CONSISTING OF A GROUP OF POSTURES COORDINATED WITH BREATHING WERE CONDUCTED FOR AN HOUR, TWO DAYS A WEEK. IN THE PEER SUPPORT ARM EACH PEER MENTOR AFTER TRAINING VISITED 13-14 WOMEN WITH DIABETES EVERY WEEK FOLLOWED BY A PHONE CALL. THE MEETING WAS ABOUT APPLYING DISEASE MANAGEMENT OR PREVENTION PLANS IN DAILY LIFE. RESULTS: THERE WAS A TREND IN DECLINE OF FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE IN THE PEER AND YOGA GROUP AND OF GLYCOSYLATED HAEMOGLOBIN (HBA1C) IN THE YOGA GROUP ONLY, THOUGH NOT SIGNIFICANT. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE WAS OBSERVED IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND HIP CIRCUMFERENCE IN THE YOGA GROUP. THE PROCESS INDICATED THAT MOST (80%) OF THE WOMEN IN THE YOGA GROUP ATTENDED CLASSES REGULARLY AND 90% OF THE WOMEN IN THE PEER GROUP REPORTED THAT PEER MENTORING WAS USEFUL. CONCLUSION: THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND PEER SUPPORT ON GLYCAEMIC OUTCOMES WAS INCREMENTAL. LONGER TERM STUDIES ARE NECESSARY TO ASCERTAIN THE BENEFITS SHOWN BY THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI/2011/12/002227 DATED 14/12/2011. 2017
8 692 37 EFFECT OF COMMUNITY-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS AND GLYCEMIC PARAMETERS IN PREDIABETES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. OBJECTIVES: TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INTERVENTION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, BLOOD PRESSURE AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN PREDIABETES. DESIGN: RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL. PARTICIPANTS: TWENTY NINE PREDIABETES SUBJECTS AGED 30-75 YEARS. SETTING: YOGA WAS CONDUCTED AT 4 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY DIABETES CLINICS IN MANGALORE, INDIA. INTERVENTIONS: PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER 3-MONTH YOGA OR WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUPS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MALONDIALDEHYDE, GLUTATHIONE, VITAMIN C, VITAMIN E, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, PLASMA GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO AND BLOOD PRESSURE. RESULTS: YOGA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN MALONDIALDEHYDE (P<0.001), RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. IN COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE LEVELS AT FOLLOW-UP. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO OR ANY OF THE ANTIOXIDANTS WAS OBSERVED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA INTERVENTION MAY BE HELPFUL IN CONTROL OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN PREDIABETES SUBJECTS. YOGA CAN ALSO BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCTION IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING GLUCOSE. EFFECT OF YOGA ON ANTIOXIDANT PARAMETERS WAS NOT EVIDENT IN THIS STUDY. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY NEED TO BE CONFIRMED IN LARGER TRIALS INVOLVING ACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. 2013
9 247 42 A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK REDUCTION: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: TYPE 2 DIABETES IS A MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM IN MANY COUNTRIES INCLUDING INDIA. YOGA MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE TYPE 2 DIABETES PREVENTION STRATEGY IN INDIA, PARTICULARLY GIVEN ITS CULTURAL FAMILIARITY. METHODS: THIS WAS A PARALLEL, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY TO COLLECT FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY DATA ON YOGA FOR DIABETES RISK FACTORS AMONG PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK OF DIABETES. PRIMARY OUTCOMES INCLUDED: CHANGES IN BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN, INSULIN RESISTANCE, BLOOD PRESSURE, AND CHOLESTEROL. WE ALSO LOOKED AT MEASURES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING INCLUDING CHANGES IN DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT AND PERCEIVED STRESS. FORTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS WITH ELEVATED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE IN BANGALORE, INDIA WERE RANDOMIZED TO EITHER YOGA (N = 21) OR A WALKING CONTROL (N = 20). PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED TO EITHER ATTEND YOGA CLASSES OR COMPLETE MONITORED WALKING 3-6 DAYS PER WEEK FOR EIGHT WEEKS. RANDOMIZATION AND ALLOCATION WAS PERFORMED USING COMPUTER-GENERATED RANDOM NUMBERS AND GROUP ASSIGNMENTS DELIVERED IN SEALED, OPAQUE ENVELOPES GENERATED BY OFF-SITE STUDY STAFF. DATA WERE ANALYZED BASED ON INTENTION TO TREAT. RESULTS: THIS STUDY WAS FEASIBLE IN TERMS OF RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND ADHERENCE. IN ADDITION, YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTIONS IN WEIGHT, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND BMI VERSUS CONTROL (WEIGHT -0.8 +/- 2.1 VS. 1.4 +/- 3.6, P = 0.02; WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE -4.2 +/- 4.8 VS. 0.7 +/- 4.2, P < 0.01; BMI -0.2 +/- 0.8 VS. 0.6 +/- 1.6, P = 0.05). THERE WERE NO BETWEEN GROUP DIFFERENCES IN FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN RESISTANCE OR ANY OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO DIABETES RISK OR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, NEGATIVE AFFECT AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN BOTH THE YOGA INTERVENTION AND WALKING CONTROL OVER THE COURSE OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: AMONG INDIANS WITH ELEVATED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, WE FOUND THAT PARTICIPATION IN AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WAS FEASIBLE AND RESULTED IN GREATER WEIGHT LOSS AND REDUCTION IN WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WHEN COMPARED TO A WALKING CONTROL. YOGA OFFERS A PROMISING LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR DECREASING WEIGHT-RELATED TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK FACTORS AND POTENTIALLY INCREASING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIED NCT00090506. 2014
10 685 37 EFFECT OF AN INTEGRATED NATUROPATHY AND YOGA PROGRAM ON LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. AIM: LIFESTYLE IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR INCREASING THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. IN THIS STUDY, WE EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF NATUROPATHY TREATMENT, SALT-RESTRICTED LOW-CALORIE DIETS, AND YOGA IN LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, TWO-ARM COHORT STUDY, PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS REFERRED FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER UNDERGOING A 3-MONTH RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY TREATMENT WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE UNDERGOING ONLY CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL. BOTH FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG) LEVELS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 3 MONTHS FOLLOWING INTERVENTION, AT 6 MONTHS, AND 12 MONTHS FROM THE STUDY START. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING REPEATED-MEASURES ANOVA WITH POST HOC BONFERRONI CORRECTION. RESULTS: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PPBG LEVELS (P < 0.001), GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS (P < 0.001), AND REDUCED REQUIREMENT FOR ANTIDIABETIC MEDICATIONS (P < 0.008) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THE EFFECTS WERE MORE PROFOUND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING INTERVENTION AND LASTED UP TO 6 MONTHS FROM THE START OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SUGGEST BENEFIT WITH AN INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO FURTHER VALIDATE THE FINDINGS. 2020
11 2834 39 YOGA'S EFFECT ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION - A CONTROLLED TRIAL IN PRIMARY CARE. BACKGROUND: YOGA CAN REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE AND HAS ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED TO REDUCE INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDS). WE AIMED TO ASSESS THE BENEFIT OF TWO YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION IN PRIMARY CARE. METHODS: ADULT PATIENTS FROM A HEALTH CARE CENTER IN SWEDEN, WITH DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSION, WERE INVITED TO UNDERGO A BASELINE CHECK AT THE HEALTH CARE CENTER. BASELINE CHECK INCLUDED STANDARDIZED BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT, BMI AND WEIGHT CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENTS, BLOOD SAMPLING (HS-CRP, IL-6, FP-GLUCOSE, HBA1C, CHOLESTEROL, TG, LDL AND HDL) AND A QUESTIONNAIRE ON SELF-RATED QUALITY OF LIFE (WHOQOL-BREF). THERE WERE THREE GROUPS: 1) YOGA CLASS WITH YOGA INSTRUCTOR; 2) YOGA AT HOME; AND 3) A CONTROL GROUP. IN TOTAL, 83 PATIENTS WERE INCLUDED AND MATCHED AT THE GROUP LEVEL FOR SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. A MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS (92 %) WERE ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION, WHICH THEY WERE REQUESTED NOT TO CHANGE DURING THE STUDY. AFTER 12 WEEKS OF INTERVENTION, THE ASSESSMENTS WERE PERFORMED AGAIN. RESULTS: WE RECORDED NO EVIDENCE THAT YOGA ALTERED INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN OUR STUDY POPULATION. A TOTAL OF 49 PARTICIPANTS (59 %) MET THE CRITERIA FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME. CONCLUSION: THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS PERFORMED IN OUR STUDY DID NOT AFFECT INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CVD IN THE STUDY POPULATION OF PRIMARY CARE PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. FURTHER RANDOMIZED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO ELUCIDATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CVD RISK FACTORS IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP. TRAIL REGISTRATION: NCT01302535 , FEBRUARY 22, 2011. 2015
12 1104 32 EFFECTS OF YOGA VERSUS SHAM YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A SINGLE-BLINDED RANDOMIZED PILOT STUDY. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN A BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN TRE A T I N G TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. THE PRESENT STUDY PROCEEDS IN THE FIELD BY PROVIDING AN ACTIVE CONTROL. WE AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF 3 MONTHS OF YOGA ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. FORTY PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO RECEIVE EITHER YOGA (N = 20) OR SHAM YOGA (N = 20) AS A CONTROL. YOGA INCLUDED POSTURES AND BREATHING EXERCISES, AND NONAEROBIC STRETCHING EXERCISE COMPRISED THE CONTROL. SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-GROUP DIFFERENCES IN MALONDIALDEHYDE, VITAMIN C, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND BLOOD PRESSURE WERE EVIDENT IN BOTH GROUPS. YOGA PARTICIPANTS HAD SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN REDUCED GLUTATHIONE COMPARED TO CONTROLS. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS WERE OBSERVED IN ANY OTHER OUTCOME VARIABLES. YOGA AND SHAM YOGA HAD IDENTICAL EFFECTS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, GLYCEMIC STATUS, AND ANTHROPOMETRY IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. LEVELS OF REDUCED GLUTATHIONE IMPROVED ONLY IN THE YOGA GROUP. THIS RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE CONFIRMED BY LARGER AND SUFFICIENTLY POWERED STUDIES. 2020
13 2318 42 TREATING MAJOR DEPRESSION WITH YOGA: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED PILOT TRIAL. BACKGROUND: CONVENTIONAL PHARMACOTHERAPIES AND PSYCHOTHERAPIES FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LIMITED ADHERENCE TO CARE AND RELATIVELY LOW REMISSION RATES. YOGA MAY OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OPTION, BUT RIGOROUS STUDIES ARE FEW. THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH BLINDED OUTCOME ASSESSORS EXAMINED AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION AS MONO-THERAPY FOR MILD-TO-MODERATE MAJOR DEPRESSION. METHODS: INVESTIGATORS RECRUITED 38 ADULTS IN SAN FRANCISCO MEETING CRITERIA FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION OF MILD-TO-MODERATE SEVERITY, PER STRUCTURED PSYCHIATRIC INTERVIEW AND SCORES OF 14-28 ON BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY-II (BDI). AT SCREENING, INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN PSYCHOTHERAPY, ANTIDEPRESSANT PHARMACOTHERAPY, HERBAL OR NUTRACEUTICAL MOOD THERAPIES, OR MIND-BODY PRACTICES WERE EXCLUDED. PARTICIPANTS WERE 68% FEMALE, WITH MEAN AGE 43.4 YEARS (SD = 14.8, RANGE = 22-72), AND MEAN BDI SCORE 22.4 (SD = 4.5). TWENTY PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO 90-MINUTE HATHA YOGA PRACTICE GROUPS TWICE WEEKLY FOR 8 WEEKS. EIGHTEEN PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO 90-MINUTE ATTENTION CONTROL EDUCATION GROUPS TWICE WEEKLY FOR 8 WEEKS. CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTORS DELIVERED BOTH INTERVENTIONS AT A UNIVERSITY CLINIC. PRIMARY OUTCOME WAS DEPRESSION SEVERITY, MEASURED BY BDI SCORES EVERY 2 WEEKS FROM BASELINE TO 8 WEEKS. SECONDARY OUTCOMES WERE SELF-EFFICACY AND SELF-ESTEEM, MEASURED BY SCORES ON THE GENERAL SELF-EFFICACY SCALE (GSES) AND ROSENBERG SELF-ESTEEM SCALE (RSES) AT BASELINE AND AT 8 WEEKS. RESULTS: IN INTENT-TO-TREAT ANALYSIS, YOGA PARTICIPANTS EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER 8-WEEK DECLINE IN BDI SCORES THAN CONTROLS (P-VALUE = 0.034). IN SUB-ANALYSES OF PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING FINAL 8-WEEK MEASURES, YOGA PARTICIPANTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE REMISSION, DEFINED PER FINAL BDI SCORE </= 9 (P-VALUE = 0.018). EFFECT SIZE OF YOGA IN REDUCING BDI SCORES WAS LARGE, PER COHEN'S D = -0.96 [95%CI, -1.81 TO -0.12]. INTERVENTION GROUPS DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY IN 8-WEEK CHANGE SCORES FOR EITHER THE GSES OR RSES. CONCLUSION: IN ADULTS WITH MILD-TO-MODERATE MAJOR DEPRESSION, AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN STATISTICALLY AND CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN DEPRESSION SEVERITY. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NCT01210651. 2017
14 1303 26 HATHA YOGA PRACTICE FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF HATHA YOGA ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS, AND SELF-CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). METHODS: TEN SEDENTARY INDIVIDUALS WITH T2DM WHO WERE NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT, FREE OF DIABETES-RELATED COMPLICATIONS, AND HAD NO PREVIOUS YOGA EXPERIENCE COMPLETED THERAPEUTIC YOGA CLASSES FOR 6 WEEKS, 3 TIMES PER WEEK . GLYCEMIC CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDED FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN, AND FASTING INSULIN. THE STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY, PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL WERE USED TO ASSESS LEVELS OF STRESS, AND THE SUMMARY OF DIABETES SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED TO ASSESS REGIMEN ADHERENCE. RESULTS: NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN GLUCOSE CONTROL OR PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS WERE FOUND; HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PERCEIVED STRESS, STATE ANXIETY, AND SELF-CARE BEHAVIORS WERE DETECTED. CONCLUSIONS: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUPPORT FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR THOSE WITH T2DM. 2013
15 1902 37 RESTORATIVE YOGA IN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED PILOT TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME INCREASES THE RISK OF DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. YOGA IMPROVES SOME METABOLIC PARAMETERS, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED IN PERSONS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME. WE CONDUCTED A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT TRIAL TO DETERMINE WHETHER A RESTORATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION WAS FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE IN UNDERACTIVE, OVERWEIGHT ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME. METHODS: TWENTY SIX UNDERACTIVE, OVERWEIGHT ADULT MEN AND WOMEN WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME WERE RANDOMIZED TO ATTEND 15 YOGA SESSIONS OF 90 MINUTES EACH OVER 10 WEEKS OR TO A WAIT-LIST CONTROL GROUP. FEASIBILITY WAS MEASURED BY RECRUITMENT RATES, SUBJECT RETENTION, AND ADHERENCE. ACCEPTABILITY WAS ASSESSED BY INTERVIEW AND QUESTIONNAIRES. CHANGES IN METABOLIC OUTCOMES AND QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURES FROM BASELINE TO WEEK 10 WERE CALCULATED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 280 PEOPLE WERE SCREENED BY PHONE, AND 93 WITH HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF METABOLIC SYNDROME WERE INVITED TO A SCREENING VISIT. OF THE 68 WHO ATTENDED SCREENING VISITS, 26 (38%) WERE RANDOMIZED, AND 24 (92%) COMPLETED THE TRIAL. ATTENDANCE AT YOGA CLASSES AND ADHERENCE TO HOME PRACTICE EXCEEDED OUR GOALS. IN THE YOGA GROUP, ALL PARTICIPANTS GAVE THE STUDY THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SATISFACTION RATING, AND THE MAJORITY (87%) FELT THAT THE YOGA POSES WERE EASY TO PERFORM. THERE WAS TREND TO REDUCED BLOOD PRESSURE (P = 0.07), A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ENERGY LEVEL (P < 0.009), AND TRENDS TO IMPROVEMENT IN WELL-BEING (P < 0.12) AND STRESS (P < 0.22) IN THE YOGA VERSUS CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: RESTORATIVE YOGA WAS A FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME. THE EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR IMPROVING METABOLIC PARAMETERS IN THIS POPULATION SHOULD BE EXPLORED IN A LARGER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. 2008
16 1394 29 IMPACT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH RETINOBLASTOMA. BACKGROUND: CHILDHOOD CANCERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN TO THE PARENTS AND HENCE, DECLINE THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY IS TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF 12-WEEKS YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN AFFECTED WITH RETINOBLASTOMA. METHOD: SINGLE ARM PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL TRIAL CONDUCTED FROM OCTOBER 2015 TO OCTOBER 2017 AT THE LABORATORY FOR MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND GENETICS, DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, INDIA. A PRE-TESTED 12-WEEKS YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION INCLUDED ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), DHYANA (MEDITATION), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, LECTURES AND FILMS ON YOGA, INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE WAS ADMINISTERED TO THE PARTICIPANTS. RESULTS: 12-WEEKS OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMME LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PARENTS OF RETINOBLASTOMA PATIENTS. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE DOMAINS (PHYSICAL HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND ENVIRONMENT) OF WHOQOL-BREF FROM BASELINE (DAY 0) TO 12-WEEKS OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ALSO LED TO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE LEVELS OF BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR, DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULPHATE, SIRTUIN 1 AND DECREASED THE CORTISOL AND IL-6 LEVELS. CONCLUSION: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION REDUCED THE SEVERITY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND RESULTED IN IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND UPREGULATION IN LEVELS OF SYSTEMIC BIOMARKERS OF NEUROPLASTICITY. YBLI MAY SERVE AS A BENEFICIAL THERAPY AND MAY ALSO ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE MEDIUM FOR BETTER STRESS MANAGEMENT TO DEVELOP BETTER COPING STRATEGIES IN THE PARENTS OF RETINOBLASTOMA PATIENTS. 2019
17 743 36 EFFECT OF RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING ON DIURNAL CORTISOL DYNAMICS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES IN INDIVIDUALS WITH THE METABOLIC SYNDROME: THE PRYSMS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. PURPOSE: CHRONIC STIMULATION AND DYSREGULATION OF THE NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEM BY STRESS MAY CAUSE METABOLIC ABNORMALITIES. WE ESTIMATED HOW MUCH CORTISOL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES IMPROVED WITH A RESTORATIVE YOGA (RELAXATION) VERSUS A LOW IMPACT STRETCHING INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH THE METABOLIC SYNDROME. METHODS: WE CONDUCTED A 1-YEAR MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (6-MONTH INTERVENTION AND 6-MONTH MAINTENANCE PHASE) OF RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SURVEYS TO ASSESS DEPRESSION, SOCIAL SUPPORT, POSITIVE AFFECT, AND STRESS AT BASELINE, 6 MONTHS AND 12 MONTHS. FOR EACH ASSESSMENT, WE COLLECTED SALIVA AT FOUR POINTS DAILY FOR THREE DAYS AND COLLECTED RESPONSE TO DEXAMETHASONE ON THE FOURTH DAY FOR ANALYSIS OF DIURNAL CORTISOL DYNAMICS. WE ANALYZED OUR DATA USING MULTIVARIATE REGRESSION MODELS, CONTROLLING FOR STUDY SITE, MEDICATIONS (ANTIDEPRESSANTS, HORMONE THERAPY), BODY MASS INDEX, AND BASELINE CORTISOL VALUES. RESULTS: PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOME MEASURES WERE AVAILABLE FOR 171 STUDY PARTICIPANTS AT BASELINE, 140 AT 6 MONTHS, AND 132 AT 1 YEAR. COMPLETE CORTISOL DATA WERE AVAILABLE FOR 136 OF 171 STUDY PARTICIPANTS (72 IN RESTORATIVE YOGA AND 64 IN STRETCHING) AND WERE ONLY AVAILABLE AT BASELINE AND 6 MONTHS. AT 6 MONTHS, THE STRETCHING GROUP HAD DECREASED CORTISOL AT WAKING AND BEDTIME COMPARED TO THE RESTORATIVE YOGA GROUP. THE PATTERN OF CHANGES IN STRESS MIRRORED THIS IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE STRETCHING GROUP SHOWING REDUCTIONS IN CHRONIC STRESS SEVERITY AND PERSEVERATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT THEIR STRESS. PERCEIVED STRESS DECREASED BY 1.5 POINTS (-0.4; 3.3, P=0.11) AT 6 MONTHS, AND BY 2.0 POINTS (0.1; 3.9, P=0.04) AT 1 YEAR IN THE STRETCHING COMPARED TO RESTORATIVE YOGA GROUPS. POST HOC ANALYSES SUGGEST THAT IN THE STRETCHING GROUP ONLY, PERCEIVED INCREASES IN SOCIAL SUPPORT (PARTICULARLY FEELINGS OF BELONGING), BUT NOT CHANGES IN STRESS WERE RELATED TO IMPROVED CORTISOL DYNAMICS. CONCLUSIONS: WE FOUND SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN SALIVARY CORTISOL, CHRONIC STRESS SEVERITY, AND STRESS PERCEPTION IN THE STRETCHING GROUP COMPARED TO THE RESTORATIVE YOGA GROUP. GROUP SUPPORT DURING THE INTERACTIVE STRETCH CLASSES MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THESE CHANGES. 2014
18 1374 36 IMPACT OF AN INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL ON INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVE: DIABETES MELLITUS (DM), CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC HYPERGLYCEMIA, IS ATTRIBUTED TO RELATIVE INSULIN DEFICIENCY OR RESISTANCE, OR BOTH. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN MODULATE PARAMETERS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE. THE PRESENT STUDY EXPLORED THE POSSIBLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY WITH REFERENCE TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES MAINTAINED ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE WITH YOGA THERAPY, COMPARED TO THOSE ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE ALONE. METHODS: IN THIS STUDY, THE SUBJECTS ON YOGA INTERVENTION COMPRISED 35 TYPE 2 DIABETICS, AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED THE CONTROL GROUP. SUBJECTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 30 TO 70 YEARS, WITH HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) TEST MORE THAN 7%, AND WERE MAINTAINED ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS. BLOOD SAMPLES WERE DRAWN PRIOR TO AND AFTER 120 DAYS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION. FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG), POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG), HBA1C, INSULIN, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE ASSESSED IN BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) (0.7 KG/M(2) MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.001), FBG (20 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), PPBG (33 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HBA1C (0.4% MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HOMEOSTATIC MODEL ASSESSMENT FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE (HOMA-IR) (1.2 MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), CHOLESTEROL (13 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE, P=0.006), TRIACYLGLYCEROL (22 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.027), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (6 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.004), AND VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS (4 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.032). INCREASES IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN AFTER 120 DAYS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT (6 MG/DL MEDIAN INCREASE; P=0.15). HOWEVER, WHEN COMPARED TO CHANGES OBSERVED IN PATIENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS PROVED TO BE SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: ADMINISTRATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL, INSULIN RESISTANCE, AND KEY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. 2022
19 1105 38 EFFECTS OF YOGA VERSUS WALKING ON MOOD, ANXIETY, AND BRAIN GABA LEVELS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED MRS STUDY. OBJECTIVES: YOGA AND EXERCISE HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON MOOD AND ANXIETY. GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID (GABA)-ERGIC ACTIVITY IS REDUCED IN MOOD AND ANXIETY DISORDERS. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA POSTURES IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED BRAIN GABA LEVELS. THIS STUDY ADDRESSES THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CHANGES IN MOOD, ANXIETY, AND GABA LEVELS ARE SPECIFIC TO YOGA OR RELATED TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. METHODS: HEALTHY SUBJECTS WITH NO SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL/PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS WERE RANDOMIZED TO YOGA OR A METABOLICALLY MATCHED WALKING INTERVENTION FOR 60 MINUTES 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. MOOD AND ANXIETY SCALES WERE TAKEN AT WEEKS 0, 4, 8, 12, AND BEFORE EACH MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY SCAN. SCAN 1 WAS AT BASELINE. SCAN 2, OBTAINED AFTER THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION, WAS FOLLOWED BY A 60-MINUTE YOGA OR WALKING INTERVENTION, WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY SCAN 3. RESULTS: THE YOGA SUBJECTS (N = 19) REPORTED GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN MOOD AND GREATER DECREASES IN ANXIETY THAN THE WALKING GROUP (N = 15). THERE WERE POSITIVE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN IMPROVED MOOD AND DECREASED ANXIETY AND THALAMIC GABA LEVELS. THE YOGA GROUP HAD POSITIVE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CHANGES IN MOOD SCALES AND CHANGES IN GABA LEVELS. CONCLUSIONS: THE 12-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN MOOD AND ANXIETY THAN A METABOLICALLY MATCHED WALKING EXERCISE. THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT INCREASED THALAMIC GABA LEVELS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED MOOD AND DECREASED ANXIETY. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT A BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION (I.E., YOGA POSTURES) HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN ACUTE INCREASES IN THALAMIC GABA LEVELS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN MOOD AND ANXIETY SCALES. GIVEN THAT PHARMACOLOGIC AGENTS THAT INCREASE THE ACTIVITY OF THE GABA SYSTEM ARE PRESCRIBED TO IMPROVE MOOD AND DECREASE ANXIETY, THE REPORTED CORRELATIONS ARE IN THE EXPECTED DIRECTION. THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF GABA IN MEDIATING THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MOOD AND ANXIETY WARRANTS FURTHER STUDY. 2010
20 2441 34 YOGA AND SCHIZOPHRENIA-A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF NEUROPLASTICITY: PROTOCOL FOR A SINGLE BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY OF YOGA IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. INTRODUCTION: SCHIZOPHRENIA IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE MENTAL DISORDERS WITH A PREVALENCE OF ABOUT 1% AND A LEADING CAUSE OF DISABILITY AMONG YOUNG ADULTS. PHARMACOTHERAPY IS THE MAINSTAY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE BEST OF MEDICATION, SEVERAL PROBLEMS LIKE REFRACTORINESS, NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS, FREQUENT RELAPSES, AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS PERSIST. METHODS: THIS IS A RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED CLINICAL STUDY INCLUDING PATIENTS FROM AN URBAN TERTIARY HOSPITAL AND A SEMI-URBAN COMMUNITY CENTER, WITH A BETWEEN-GROUP, REPEATED-MEASURES, LONGITUDINAL DESIGN. THIS STUDY WILL RECRUIT 160 PATIENTS WITH DSM 5 DIAGNOSIS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA WHO ARE ON STABLE MEDICATION FOR A MINIMUM OF 6 WEEKS; THEY WILL BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED INTO 2 ARMS VIZ., YOGA THERAPY (YT), AND TREATMENT-AS-USUAL (TAU) WITH 80 PATIENTS IN EACH ARM. PARTICIPANTS WILL UNDERGO CLINICAL, LABORATORY, AND RADIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS AT BASELINE AND AT INTERVALS OF 1 MONTH, 3 MONTHS, AND 6 MONTHS FROM THE BASELINE. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT YOGA WILL IMPROVE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND EMOTION PROCESSING, INCREASE SERUM BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF) AND PLASMA OXYTOCIN LEVELS AND EFFECT CHANGES IN CEREBRAL ACTIVATION IN AREAS OF THE BRAIN ASSOCIATED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA. DISCUSSION: THIS STUDY AIMS TO MEASURE THE EFFICACY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION AS AN ADJUNCT IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA AS WELL AS THE MECHANISMS OF THESE EFFECTS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: REGISTERED RETROSPECTIVELY WITH CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY - INDIA (CTRI) WITH REGISTRATION NUMBER CTRI/2017/08/009219. 2019