Effects of Yoga and Aerobic Exercise on Verbal Fluency in Physically Inactive Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial (FitForAge).

Purpose: To compare the effects on verbal fluency of a supported yoga-based exercise intervention to an aerobic exercise intervention and a wait-list control group.

Participants And Methods: Eighty-two physically-inactive but otherwise healthy adults (mean age 72.5 years, range 65-85, 77% female) were recruited into a 12-week, three-group, parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were supported to complete ≥3 Hatha yoga classes per/week or ≥3 structured aerobic exercise sessions/week. A wait-list control group continued usual daily activities only. Verbal fluency, including total-FAS, animals, and verbs, was assessed before and after interventions. Group effects were assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Results: Twenty-seven participants were randomized to yoga, 29 to aerobic exercise and 26 to a waitlist. At 12-week follow-up, compared to baseline, there were increases in mean total-FAS in the yoga (+5.0 words, =0.002) and aerobic exercise groups (+6.6 words, =0.004). Mean total-FAS in the wait-list control group remained stable (-0.5 words, =0.838). There were medium-magnitude estimated treatment effects on total-FAS for yoga versus wait-list control and aerobic exercise versus wait-list control: Hedges' =0.51 (=0.213) and 0.57 (=0.098) respectively. In addition, small-to-medium magnitude estimated treatment effects were seen on animals and verbs for yoga versus wait-list control and aerobic exercise versus wait-list control: =0.28 (=0.155), 0.19 (=0.766) and 0.50 (=0.085), 0.59 (=0.233) respectively.

Conclusion: Participation in yoga or aerobic exercise was associated with estimated improvements in verbal fluency compared to a non-active control group. Yoga and aerobic exercise may be promising approaches by which to promote cognitive function among older adults.

Trial Registration: DRKS00015093, U1111-1217-4248.