The relationships between yoga practice and cognitive reserve: A study on an Italian sample

Cognitive reserve (CR), the ability of the brain to respond to age-related damage, has been reported to be associated with healthy cognitive, physical, and emotional aging. Being physically active is one of the factors that can increase CR. Yoga is a form of physical exercise that also involves the mind, so, even if not widely explored yet, its relationship with the CR is worth investigating. This study aimed to explore the contribution of constant yoga practice (>5 years) on CR – measured with a standardized self-report questionnaire about education, occupation, and leisure activities – as well as cognitive performance and psychophysiological activation recorded during the administration of three WAIS subtests using biofeedback technology. Twenty-five yoga practitioners were compared with 25 controls. Yoga practitioners showed higher overall CR scores than controls, with scores regarding job history and leisure activities being the most significant. Moreover, higher CR levels, observed in both groups, were associated with physiological activation patterns during cognitive tasks, suggesting a potential link between increased CR, potentially influenced by yoga practice, and stress regulation. Results support the notion that yoga has the potential to promote CR and resilience to stress.