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Greater Anteroposterior Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Long-Term Elderly Yoga Practitioners
Danilo Forghieri Santaella1,2, Joana Bisol Balardin1, Rui Ferreira Afonso1
1Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), São Paulo, Brazil.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|July 18, 2019
Summary
Long-term yoga practice in elderly women enhances brain functional connectivity within the Default Mode Network (DMN). This suggests yoga may support healthier cognitive aging by strengthening neural networks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Aging
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Aging alters large-scale brain network functional connectivity.
- Contemplative practices like yoga may mitigate age-related brain changes.
- The Default Mode Network (DMN) is particularly affected by aging and may benefit from yoga.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare resting-state functional connectivity in elderly yoga practitioners versus yoga-naïve controls.
- To investigate the impact of long-term Hatha Yoga practice on DMN connectivity.
- To examine functional connectivity between medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex-precuneus (PCC-Precuneus) in relation to yoga practice.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study comparing two groups of women (20 yoga practitioners, 20 controls).
- Participants matched for age, education, and physical activity.
- Open-eyes resting-state fMRI with seed-to-voxel connectivity analysis using CONN toolbox.
- Analysis focused on DMN nodes: MPFC and PCC-Precuneus.
Main Results:
- No significant differences between groups in age, education, cognitive function (MMSE), depression (BDI), or daily living activities (IADL).
- Yoga practitioners showed higher functional connectivity between MPFC and the right angular gyrus (AGr).
- Elderly women with long-term yoga practice exhibited greater anteroposterior DMN functional connectivity.
Conclusions:
- Practicing yoga for at least 8 years is associated with enhanced DMN functional connectivity in elderly women.
- Yoga may promote healthier cognitive aging by improving brain network integrity.
- Findings contribute to understanding yoga's neuroprotective effects on the aging brain.
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