Physical exercise has been demonstrated to help maintain cognition in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (pwMCI). We previously demonstrated yoga’s benefit in maintenance of memory related activities of daily living in pwMCI. Our research also has shown yoga helps sustain positive psychological well-being of care partners at 12 months. In this analysis, we sought to examine the impact of yoga training on physical performance in pwMCI and their care partners. In this multisite, randomized clinical trial, we enrolled 272 patients meeting National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer’s Association criteria for MCI and a care partner. The intervention program was modeled on the Mayo Clinic HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking® program. Of 5 possible interventions (memory compensation training, computerized cognitive training, yoga, support group, and wellness education), 1 of 5 interventions was randomly selected to be withheld for each intervention group. This randomization allowed for the examination of the impact of receiving yoga or no yoga on physical functioning [as measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)] up to 1 year post intervention, as well as the comparative effectiveness on physical functioning of the various interventions. There was a general pattern of physical decline on the SPPB over the year in pwMCI, regardless of yoga training (yoga vs. no yoga d=0.06, p=0.79). Among care partners, those who received yoga had better physical function at 12 months compared to those who did not (d=0.39 points, p=0.041). While not reaching statistical significance, yoga training tended to have a greater effect on SPPB than computerized cognitive training (d = 0.46 points, p = .063) or wellness education (d = 0.42 points, p =.088). Participation in yoga had a positive impact on physical performance outcomes at 12 month follow-up for care partners, but did not counteract general physical decline in pwMCI.
Yoga Training Impacts Physical Function 12 Months Post Intervention for Care Partners of those with Mild Cognitive Impairment
