Multidirectional Yoga for Cognition

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Older individuals, 60-90, will be provided regular or cognitively based yoga training. They will then be evaluated using standard cognitive testing devices.

Detailed Description
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Reductions in executive function are common with age. Along with these declines come reductions in simple functional patterns of daily living such as crossing a street, walking in a crowded area, or performing any functions that occurs in an open (changing) environment. This study will use a newly developed yoga program incorporating multi-directional movements, cognitive challenges and visuomotor disturbances to improve executive function and associated movements in persons over 60 years of age.

Official Title
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Multidirectional Yoga Training to Improve in Healthy Older Participants

Conditions
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Standard Yoga, Multi-directional Yoga, Educational Control

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Standard Yoga
* Other: Multi-directional Yoga
* Other: Educational Control


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 60-90 years of age Capable of walking 50 feet with or without a walking aid- Exclusion Criteria: Regularly participating in yoga or other balance training program Currently participating in another exercise study Unable to commit to study duration Uncontrolled neuromuscular or cardiovascular disease that prevents participation in an exercise study Advised not to exercise by their physician

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 60 Years
Maximum Age: 90 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Comparison of Yoga Interventions
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Standard Yoga<br>Yoga will be performed using linear forward and backward movements. | Other: Multi-directional Yoga<br>* The multidirectional yoga training program will use both simple and complex movement sequences (asana or postures) that include a cognitive component. For example, participants will be taught a movement sequence that includes 16-20 yoga postures that increase in difficulty as the training progresses.<br>Other: Educational Control<br>* Lectures on health and fitness<br>|
| Experimental: Multi-directional Yoga<br>The multidirectional yoga training program will use both simple and complex movement sequences (asana or postures) that include a cognitive component. For example, participants will be taught a movement sequence that includes 16-20 yoga postures that increase in difficulty as the training progresses. . | Other: Standard Yoga<br>* Yoga using standard poses and linear movements<br>Other: Educational Control<br>* Lectures on health and fitness<br>|
| Experimental: Educational Control<br>Lectures on Health and Wellness | Other: Standard Yoga<br>* Yoga using standard poses and linear movements<br>Other: Multi-directional Yoga<br>* The multidirectional yoga training program will use both simple and complex movement sequences (asana or postures) that include a cognitive component. For example, participants will be taught a movement sequence that includes 16-20 yoga postures that increase in difficulty as the training progresses.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NIH Toolbox: Picture Sequence Memory Test | Measures episodic memory. Participants are asked to reproduce a sequence of pictures that is shown on the screen. | 5 minutes | 
| NIH Toolbox Flanker test | Measures attention and inhibitory control. Participant focuses on a given stimulus while inhibiting attention to stimuli flanking it. | 5 minutes | 
| NIH Toolbox List Sorting test | Measures working memory. Participant recalls and sequences different visually and orally presented stimuli. | 5 minutes | 
| NIH Toolbox Pattern Comparison Processing Speed test | Measures speed of processing. Participants discern whether two side-by-side pictures are the same or not, with 85 seconds to respond to as many items as possible. Items are simple so as to purely measure processing speed. | 5 minutes | 
| Walking Executive Function Tests | Walking and responding to visual cues presented on a 60 inch monitor. | 10 minutes | 
| Timed up-and-go | Rising from a chair, circumventing a cone and returning to the chair. | 5 minutes |