---

A clinical trial is underway to test whether regular practice of yoga can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, according to parkinsonsnewstoday.com. The test, being conducted in Bangalore, would be the first long-term trial to assess the potential of yoga to modulate the disease progression in Parkinson’s patients. 

While various studies have suggested that yoga can have benefits for people with Parkinson’s, those studies have all been fairly short-term. Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder, and no intervention has been proven to slow its progression. 

With this clinical trial, scientists are hoping to prove that regular practice of yoga can alter the long-term course of Parkinson’s disease. For this, the study plans to enroll 160 adults with Parkinson’s who are less than three years out from their diagnosis.

Half of the patients, serving as the control group, will not participate in any intervention. The other half will do 45-minute yoga sessions three to five days per week. The first 21 yoga sessions will be done in person, the next 40 will be done at home with a supervisor on video call, and the remaining sessions patients have to do on their own.

All participants will be assessed at months three, six, nine, 12, and 18. The participants will also undergo assessments of depression and anxiety, stress, and sleep health. The study’s main goal is to track the change in motor symptom severity. The researchers will also be looking at how well the participants stuck with the yoga program.

---

Related Articles

When the skin erupts – Ayurveda for Psoriasis

Stress, the silent killer

Breath well with Shvasan Kriya

Cure Diabetes with Ayurveda

Ayurvedic treatment for Varicose Veins

Ayurvedic Treatments for Jaundice