Scientists are now looking at linking mind-based therapies that can slow down the effects of mild cognitive impairment that acts as a precursor to brain degenerative conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Studies on mind-based therapies are currently gaining widespread popularity among medical and scientific communities in harnessing the powers of the brain through what is called MIndfullness-Based Stress Reduction or MBSR.
MBSR strategically incorporates a combination of yoga, body awareness and meditation by focusing on increasing acceptance and awareness of personal life experiences.
In a study conducted by the University of California- Los Angeles published recently in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers claim that finishing an 3-month yoga and meditation course could help reduce the risk of symptoms leading to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The study’s senior author Dr. Helen Lavretsky said that mild cognitive impairment is usually common among older people resulting from the decline of cognitive functions in the brain such as the processing of memory and thinking problems.
The study involved 25 participants aged 55 and up, where 14 took part who took part in a 12-week Kundalini Yoga program once a week and practiced Kirtan Kriya meditation for 20 minutes a day.
The remaining 11 participants were provided with memory enhancement training sessions involving mind-challenging activities like computer games, puzzles and word challenges once a week for the next twelve weeks, which also included a daily 20-minute memory exercises.
After the 12-week assessment, the researchers found out that both groups tested positive for improvements in their verbal memory skills as well as the ability to recall names and list of words after the 12-week test.
Those who took the yoga classes, however, demonstrated better visual-spatial memory skills, compared to their other counterparts and had better abilities to navigate and recall locations.
They also had more stress resilience and coping skills, as well as being generally adaptive to rebound from depression and anxiety.
In a separate study MBSR therapies showed significant improvement after six months with marked improvement on pain reduction and increased mobility and functionality.
The research also came in the light of controversies regarding deaths from lower back pain sufferers due to overdose of opioid painkillers.
MBSR was first developed by a scientist from Massachusetts back in the 1970’s named Dr. Jon Zabat- Zinn, using traditional Buddhist meditation practices.
Symptoms of lower back pain include difficulty in movement ranging from painful motor movements to being unable to walk or stand, pain around the groin area, buttocks or upper thigh, achy and dull pain, soreness of the back area when touched.
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