Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36670348›Full record

SynthesisBMC geriatrics2023

A systematic review of the health effects of yoga for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Diana Karamacoska, Tiffany Tan, Danielle C Mathersul, Angelo Sabag, Michael de Manincor, Dennis Chang, Genevieve Z Steiner-Lim

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC geriatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
8.3field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Clinical Effectiveness of Treatments for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Adults: A Systematic Review.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2025
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Neuropsychiatry of atrial fibrillation: dementia and beyond.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Reduced Anxiety and Depression and Improved Mood in Older Adults Living in Care Homes After Participating in Chair Yoga.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2024
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Diana KaramacoskaNICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia. d.karamacoska@westernsydney.edu.au.
Tiffany TanSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Danielle C MathersulSchool of Psychology, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
Angelo SabagNICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Michael de ManincorNICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Dennis ChangNICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Genevieve Z Steiner-LimNICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Western Sydney University · AUVA Palo Alto Health Care System · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYoga is a mind-body practice that can elicit robust health and wellbeing effects for older adults. As a result, there is increased public and academic interest into the potential benefits of yoga for older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

methodsLiterature searches in five databases (CENTRAL, PubMed and EBSCOHost indexing CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection) were conducted from the databases' date of inception through to 4 September 2020 to identify pre-post single and multigroup studies of yoga-based interventions involving people with MCI or dementia. Effects on cognitive, mental, and physical health were evaluated, as was safety and study quality.

resultsDatabase searches identified 1431 articles. Of these, 10 unique studies met inclusion criteria (total 421 participants). Four studies each implemented Kundalini yoga and chair yoga, while two employed Hatha yoga. Most programs ran for 12 weeks (n = 5) and compared yoga to a control group (n = 5). Most studies reported improved cognition, mood, and balance. However, these effects were marred by the high risk of bias identified in all articles. Four studies assessed safety, with one instance of dizziness reported.

conclusionsIn this emerging field, these studies show that yoga may be safe and beneficial for the wellbeing of people with MCI or dementia. More high quality randomised controlled trials are needed to improve the evidence-base and overcome the limitations of existing studies.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionDementiaYogaAgedCognitionHumansAgeingCognitionComplementary therapyMemoryPhysical activity

Identifiers

PMID36670348
PMCPMC9862505
OpenAlexW4317569496

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.