Yoga increases the volume of the hippocampus in elderly subjects.
BACKGROUND
The neurobiological effect of yoga on the cortical structures in the elderly is as yet unknown.


METHODS
Seven healthy elderly subjects received yoga intervention as an add-on life-style practice. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained before and 6 months later. Voxel-based-morphometric analyses compared the brains before and after the yoga.


RESULTS
Yoga group was found to have increases in hippocampal, but not in occipital gray matter.


CONCLUSIONS
Yoga has potential to reduce neuro-senescence. Small sample size and absence of the control group prevent generalization of the findings limiting its translational value.
Department of Psychiatry, Advanced Centre for Yoga in Mental Health and Neurosciences, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
V R
VR
Hariprasad
S
S
Varambally
V
V
Shivakumar
S V
SV
Kalmady
G
G
Venkatasubramanian
B N
BN
Gangadhar
Elderly; hippocampus; magnetic resonance imaging; yoga