Yoga Asana Increases Prefrontal Cortex Activity and Reduces Resting-State Functional Connectivity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• While yoga's psychological benefits are known, neurological mechanisms of physical yoga postures (asana) are under-researched due to neuroimaging limitations.
• The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for psychological health, making it a key area for investigating yoga's effects.
• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a mobile solution for studying brain activity during movement-based practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity during and after yoga asana practice.
• To characterize the neurological underpinnings of yoga asana using mobile neuroimaging (fNIRS).
• To assess alterations in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) following asana.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-seven healthy adults underwent fNIRS measurement of PFC activity during resting states and a 23-minute asana routine.
• A block design alternated between three active yoga postures and one control posture, repeated multiple times.
• PFC activity and rsFC were analyzed before, during, and after the asana session.

Main Results:

• All tested active yoga asanas significantly increased PFC activity compared to baseline, with notable effects in the right PFC.
• A significant decrease in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) was observed in the left medial PFC, a key part of the default mode network (DMN).
• These findings suggest yoga asana influences brain regions associated with mood and cognitive regulation.

Conclusions:

• Yoga asana practice demonstrably alters PFC activity and DMN connectivity, providing neurological insights into its benefits.
• fNIRS is a viable tool for assessing brain activity during real-world, movement-based practices like yoga.
• The study supports yoga asana as a potential intervention for modulating brain function related to psychological well-being.