In a study conducted by UCLA Health, Kundalini Yoga demonstrated potential benefits for older women at risk of Alzheimer's disease, especially if they were concerned about memory loss. Kundalini Yoga is a form of yoga that combines breathing, meditation and mental visualization to help increase activity in areas of the brain that are affected by stress and are associated with memory loss. The findings were published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Using a special MRI technique that measures the activity of brain regions and their subregions, researchers at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior found that Kundalini Yoga enhances the connectivity of stress-related brain regions that contribute to memory loss through a combination of asanas, meditation, breathing, chanting mantras and mental visualization.
Kundalini Yoga training appears to be more effective at targeting stress-related hippocampal connectivity, while memory enhancement training (MET) may be better at targeting the subregions of the hippocampus responsible for sensory integration in favor of more reliable memory. The central takeaway from this study is that it adds new evidence to support the benefits of yoga for brain health, especially for women who experience greater stress and subjective memory loss. This gentle form of yoga focuses more on breathing and mental engagement than on asana movements than other yoga types, making it ideal for older adults with certain physical limitations.
The study covered data from 22 participants who were part of a larger randomized controlled trial to study the effects of yoga on Alzheimer's disease risk. The average age of the yoga group was about 61 years, while the memory enhancement training (MET) group was about 65 years. All participants reported memory loss within the past year and had at least one cardiovascular risk factor that also increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease, including arterial plaque, recent heart attack, diabetes, and treatment for high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
The Yoga and MET groups received 60 minutes of face-to-face training once a week over a 12-week period, accompanied by daily homework or practice. Previous research by team leaders has shown that Kundalini Yoga has a positive effect on depression, resilience, and executive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. They also found that yoga had a more significant neuroprotective effect than MET in protecting right hippocampal volume, which could mean improved memory, especially in older women with subjective memory decline and cardiovascular risk factors.
Although this small study suggests that these yoga forms may be particularly beneficial for women who report stressful experiences and have additional risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, the authors note that future large-scale studies, including setting up a placebo group or a control arm, are needed to determine the beneficial effects of yoga and MET on hippocampal connectivity and memory.
什么是昆达里尼瑜伽(Kartan Kariya冥想)
It is a meditation and chanting practice that originated in the Indian tradition and is widely used in Kundalini Yoga in particular. This practice combines chanting (mandala), mudras (gestures), visualization and breath control to achieve harmony and balance of mind, body and spirit. Kirtan Kriya's specific approach typically includes the following elements:
Chanting: Participants repeat a specific set of sounds or mandalas, such as "Sa Ta Na Ma", with each syllable corresponding to a gesture of the fingers while visualizing energy flowing in a particular chakra. These four syllables symbolize the process of creating, maintaining, transforming, and returning to the source, respectively.
Mudra: While chanting, the practitioner uses specific gestures (mudras), each finger representing a different state of consciousness or stage of life, to complete a cycle by touching the thumb, which is synchronized with the sound and promotes concentration and inner awareness.
Breathing: Breathing also plays an important role in Kirtan Kriya and usually requires the practitioner to breathe naturally and to harmonize the breathing with the rhythm of the chanting.
Visualization: While chanting and making mudras, practitioners are guided to perform inner visualizations, such as imagining sounds and energy flowing through the body with each syllable, or rising above the head and back to the heart chakra to promote mental clarity and calm.
This comprehensive meditation practice has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, enhance concentration and memory, and even have a positive effect on cognitive function, especially for older adults or those with mild cognitive impairment. Kirtan Kriya is a popular method of spiritual practice for people of all ages and backgrounds because of its ease of learning and being effective.
参考文献——L.A. Kilpatrick et al., Impact of Yoga Versus Memory Enhancement Training on Hippocampal Connectivity in Older Women at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. Pre-press, no. Pre-press, pp. 1-11, 2023 DOI: 10.3233/JAD-221159.