INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue III, March 202

Neuropsychological Effects of Yoga Practice: A Broad Systematic Review

Yoga has gained considerable attention in recent decades as a complementary mind–body intervention with

potential benefits for cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and brain health. The present study provides

a broad systematic review and meta-analytic synthesis of approximately 1000 research publications examining

meta-analytic research indicates that yoga interventions significantly improve cognitive functioning among

healthy adults and older populations.

Neuroimaging studies further demonstrate structural and functional changes in brain regions associated with

cognitive processing, including the hippocampus, insula, prefrontal cortex, and cingulate cortex.

The findings suggest that yoga promotes neuroplasticity, enhances neural efficiency, and reduces stress-related

neuroendocrine responses. Overall, yoga represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for improving

neuropsychological functioning across diverse populations.

Keywords: Yoga, neuropsychology, cognition, executive function, mindfulness, brain plasticity, meta-analysis

Neuropsychology is concerned with understanding the relationship between brain function and cognitive

(pranayama), and meditation practices (dhyana). Over the past two decades, scientific research has

increasingly examined yoga as a therapeutic intervention for improving mental health and cognitive functioning

(Büssing et al., 2012; Hassan et al., 2025).

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue III, March 202

A growing body of empirical evidence indicates that yoga practice improves psychological well-being by

reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, neuroimaging studies suggest that long-term yoga

practitioners show differences in brain structure and function, particularly in regions associated with attention,

working memory, and emotional regulation.

Evidence also indicates that yoga practice may increase gray-matter volume in brain regions such as the

hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which play crucial roles in learning, memory, and cognitive processing.

Recent meta-analyses suggest that yoga interventions have moderate positive effects on cognitive functioning,

The main objectives of the present study are:

1. To analyze the neuropsychological effects of yoga practice on cognitive functioning.

2. To examine neurobiological mechanisms associated with yoga interventions.

3. To synthesize findings from a large body of research through meta-analytic evaluation.

4. To identify research gaps and propose future directions for neuropsychological research.

A systematic search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across the following academic databases:

 PubMed

 Scopus

 “Yoga AND brain function”

 “Yoga AND executive function”

 “Mind-body exercise AND brain health”

The search yielded approximately 1047 research publications related to yoga and neuropsychology.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue III, March 202

Screening and Selection Process

After removing duplicates and irrelevant publications, the following stages were applied:

1. Investigated yoga as the primary intervention

2. Measured cognitive or neuropsychological outcomes

3. Were randomized controlled trials, experimental, or longitudinal studies

4. Reported sufficient statistical data

The meta-analytic synthesis suggests that yoga interventions significantly improve several cognitive domains:

 Executive function

 Attention

 Working memory

Brain Structural Changes

Neuroimaging research indicates that yoga practice is associated with structural brain differences, including

increased gray-matter volume in regions involved in memory and emotional processing.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue III, March 202

Other studies suggest that yoga practitioners show enhanced brain activity in the prefrontal cortex and

hippocampus.

Recent research suggests that mind-body exercises such as yoga may influence neural connectivity in attention

networks, including the dorsal and ventral attention networks. These networks are essential for attentional

control, cognitive flexibility, and information processing.

Yoga has been shown to regulate stress responses by modulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis

and reducing cortisol levels. Additionally, yoga practice has been associated with increased levels of brain-

through integrated physiological and psychological mechanisms (Campelo et al., 2025).

Furthermore, studies comparing yoga with cognitive training programs suggest that yoga may produce

comparable or greater improvements in memory and emotional well-being. The neuropsychological benefits of

yoga may be attributed to multiple mechanisms including enhanced neuroplasticity, improved neural efficiency,

and reduced stress-related neural damage (Hassan et al., 2025).

However, several limitations should be noted. First, there is considerable heterogeneity among studies in terms

of yoga style, intervention duration, and participant characteristics. Second, many studies involve relatively

small sample sizes. Third, long-term longitudinal studies examining the sustained neuropsychological effects of

yoga remain limited. Future research should include large randomized controlled trials, standardized yoga

intervention protocols, and advanced neuroimaging techniques to better understand the neural mechanisms

effective complementary intervention for promoting cognitive health and psychological well-being. Given the

growing prevalence of cognitive disorders and mental health problems worldwide, integrating yoga into

educational, clinical, and community health programs may offer substantial benefits for cognitive and

psychological health.

REFERENCES

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue III, March 202