AIIMS Study Finds Yoga Could Improve Cognitive Function, Ease Depression, and Support Gut Health in Early Alzheimer’s

Summary:
A study by AIIMS Delhi suggests that a 12-week structured yoga programme may help improve cognitive function, reduce depressive symptoms, and promote healthier gut bacteria in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers observed better memory and mood scores along with positive changes in the gut microbiome, including an increase in beneficial bacteria and a decline in inflammation-associated microbes. While yoga is not a cure for Alzheimer’s, the findings indicate it could serve as a low-cost supportive therapy that may positively influence the gut-brain axis and enhance cognitive and emotional well-being in the early stages of the disease. 

Yoga could play a supportive role in improving cognitive abilities, easing depression, and helping restore beneficial gut bacteria in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at AIIMS Delhi.

The research, carried out jointly by the Departments of Anatomy and Neurology and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in June, found that a structured 12-week yoga intervention led to notable gains in cognitive function, improved mood, and positive alterations in the gut microbiome among patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Dr Rima Dada from AIIMS Delhi’s Department of Anatomy, who served as the study’s corresponding author, said the findings offer early evidence that lifestyle-based practices such as yoga may contribute to a healthier gut microbial ecosystem. She noted that an increase in beneficial bacteria and a decline in inflammation-associated microbes after the intervention may point to biological pathways linked to better brain function.

Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head of the Department of Neurology at AIIMS Delhi, stated that although yoga is not a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, the results indicate it may be a useful complementary therapy for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. Improvements in cognition, emotional well-being, and gut microbiome composition suggest a potential impact on the gut-brain connection.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent form of dementia, causes gradual memory deterioration and cognitive impairment. Growing scientific evidence indicates that changes in gut microbial communities may affect brain function through the gut-brain axis.

The study included individuals diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease as well as cognitively healthy participants. Patients with Alzheimer’s underwent supervised one-hour yoga sessions daily for 12 weeks. Researchers evaluated cognitive performance, depression levels, and gut microbiota composition before and after the programme.

Results showed a significant increase in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, indicating improved cognitive performance. Depression levels, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), also declined considerably.

The intervention was additionally linked to meaningful changes in gut bacteria. Levels of beneficial microbes associated with the production of short-chain fatty acids—which are known to support gut and brain health and reduce inflammation—increased. These included Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia intestinalis, Bifidobacterium, and Akkermansia. Meanwhile, potentially harmful and inflammation-linked bacteria such as Collinsella aerofaciens and Klebsiella species decreased.

Researchers observed that, following the yoga programme, the gut microbiome profiles of Alzheimer’s patients became more similar to those of healthy individuals, indicating a partial recovery of microbial balance.

The authors suggested that yoga may positively influence the gut-brain axis by lowering stress, enhancing autonomic nervous system regulation, and creating conditions that support beneficial microbial growth. They noted that these microbial shifts coincided with better cognitive outcomes and reduced depressive symptoms.

However, the researchers acknowledged limitations, including the study’s small sample size and the lack of a comparison group undergoing another intervention. They emphasised the need for larger randomised controlled trials with longer monitoring periods, dietary assessments, and additional biological markers to determine whether yoga directly causes the observed changes.

Despite these limitations, the study contributes to growing evidence that yoga may serve as an affordable, accessible, and non-drug-based supportive therapy for enhancing cognitive and emotional well-being in people living with Alzheimer’s disease.