AIIMS Study Finds Yoga May Improve Memory and Mental Health in Early Alzheimer’s Patients

NEW DELHI, June 20: A new study conducted by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, has revealed that regular yoga practice may offer significant benefits for people living with early stage Alzheimer’s disease by improving cognitive abilities, easing depressive symptoms and promoting a healthier balance of gut bacteria.

The findings, published in the June edition of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, add to growing scientific evidence suggesting that lifestyle-based interventions can play an important supportive role in managing neurodegenerative disorders.

The collaborative research, carried out by specialists from the Departments of Anatomy and Neurology at AIIMS, examined the impact of a structured yoga programme on patients diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers reported notable improvements in memory-related functions, emotional health and gut microbial composition after participants completed a 12-week intervention.

Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common form of dementia worldwide and is marked by progressive decline in memory, reasoning, learning and daily functioning. Although medications may help manage certain symptoms, scientists continue to explore non-drug approaches that could complement conventional treatment and improve quality of life.

The AIIMS study focused on the growing body of research surrounding the gut-brain axis, a complex communication network linking the digestive system and the brain. Recent studies have suggested that changes in gut bacteria may influence inflammation, brain function and neurological health.

To investigate this connection, researchers enrolled individuals diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease along with cognitively healthy participants. Patients in the intervention group participated in supervised yoga sessions lasting approximately one hour each day over a period of 12 weeks.

Throughout the programme, investigators evaluated changes in cognitive performance, mental health indicators and gut microbial diversity before and after the intervention.

According to the results, participants demonstrated measurable improvements in cognitive assessment scores following the yoga regimen. Researchers used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a widely recognised tool for evaluating memory, attention and executive functioning, to monitor changes.

In addition to cognitive gains, participants also experienced a reduction in symptoms associated with depression. Assessments using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) indicated meaningful improvements in mood and emotional well-being by the end of the study period.

One of the most significant findings involved changes within the gut microbiome. Researchers observed an increase in several beneficial bacterial species known for producing short-chain fatty acids, compounds associated with reduced inflammation and improved neurological health.

Among the bacterial populations that increased were Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia intestinalis, Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia. These microbes are often linked to improved gut function, stronger immune responses and healthier metabolic activity.

At the same time, scientists recorded a decline in certain bacteria associated with inflammation and disease processes. Potentially harmful microbial groups, including Collinsella aerofaciens and Klebsiella species, were found at lower levels after the yoga intervention.

Researchers noted that the microbial profiles of Alzheimer’s patients gradually shifted closer to those observed in healthy participants. This finding suggests that yoga may contribute to restoring a more balanced and resilient gut ecosystem.

Dr Rima Dada, Professor in the Department of Anatomy at AIIMS and corresponding author of the study, said the results provide early evidence that yoga may create a healthier microbial environment capable of supporting brain function.

According to her, the increase in beneficial bacterial populations and the reduction in inflammatory microbes point toward biological pathways that may help explain improvements in neurological health.

Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head of the Department of Neurology at AIIMS, emphasized that yoga should not be viewed as a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, she said the findings indicate that it could serve as a valuable complementary therapy, particularly during the early stages of cognitive decline.

She explained that improvements in memory performance, emotional well-being and microbial balance collectively suggest a positive influence on the gut-brain communication system.

Researchers believe yoga may exert these effects through multiple mechanisms. Regular practice is known to reduce stress levels, regulate the autonomic nervous system and improve physiological balance. These changes can create favourable conditions for beneficial microbes to thrive while reducing factors that contribute to inflammation.

The authors noted that the observed improvements in gut microbial health were accompanied by enhanced cognitive performance and lower depression scores, strengthening the possibility that modulation of the gut-brain axis played a meaningful role.

Despite the encouraging findings, researchers cautioned that the study has several limitations. The sample size was relatively small, and there was no separate control group participating in another structured intervention for comparison.

As a result, scientists cannot definitively conclude that yoga alone caused the changes observed during the study period.

The research team has called for larger randomised controlled trials involving a greater number of participants and longer follow-up periods. Future studies may also include detailed dietary monitoring and advanced biological analyses to better understand the relationship between yoga, gut microbes and brain health.

Experts say such investigations could help determine whether the microbiome changes directly contribute to improvements in cognitive functioning or whether they are part of a broader physiological response to regular physical and mental activity.

The study nevertheless offers promising insights into the role of holistic health practices in supporting people affected by neurodegenerative conditions. As healthcare systems worldwide face a growing burden of dementia-related disorders, accessible and cost-effective interventions are becoming increasingly important.

Yoga, which requires minimal equipment and can be adapted to individual abilities, may represent a practical option for enhancing emotional well-being and supporting cognitive health alongside standard medical care.

While additional scientific validation remains necessary, the AIIMS findings reinforce the potential value of integrating traditional wellness practices with modern neurological treatment strategies.

Researchers hope the study will encourage further exploration of how lifestyle interventions can contribute to healthier ageing and improve outcomes for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.