Yoga and Aerobic Exercise Effects on Cognition

NCT04077645 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 20067
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 71
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this acute randomized control study is to assess the feasibility of a low-to-moderate intensity Yoga intervention (i.e. sun salutations), and examine its effect on cognitive functioning, compared to engaging in aerobic activity or seated rest. Participants will include individuals who are currently experiencing symptoms of psychosocial stress or general anxiety.

Conditions

Stress, Psychological

Keywords

physical activity; walking; moderate intensity; acute intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• N-back Task (Working Memory)

  This is a computerized task measuring the working memory domain of cognition. The task had 3 conditions, namely, 0-back, 1-back and 2-back. Participants are presented with a series of stimuli one after the other. They have to decide whether the stimulus currently presented is the same as the stimulus presented "n" items before. For the 1-back task, participants have to decide whether the stimulus matches the stimulus presented 1 earlier. For the 2- back task, they have to decide whether the stimulus matches the stimulus presented 2 earlier. Reaction time and accuracy of the response are recorded.

  Change from baseline performance on the n-back at 30 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Trail Making Test A and B (Global Cognition)

  Change from baseline performance at 30 minutes

• Digit Symbol Substitution Test (Processing Speed)

  Change from baseline performance at 30 minutes

• State Trait Anxiety Questionnaire

  Change from baseline performance at 30 minutes

• Visual Analog Scale for Stress

  Change from baseline performance at 30 minutes

• Perceived Mental Fatigue

  Change from baseline performance at 30 minutes

Study Arms (3)

Sun salutations

EXPERIMENTAL

Sun salutations, breathing exercises, and relaxation, at a low to moderate intensity, for 30 minutes.

Behavioral: Sun salutations

Aerobic exercise

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Walking on a treadmill at low to moderate intensity for 30 minutes.

Behavioral: Aerobic exercise

Seated rest (attentional control)

OTHER

Watching educational videos for 30 minutes.

Behavioral: Seated rest

Interventions

Sun salutations BEHAVIORAL

This group will be asked to participate in 25 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity Yoga. This acute session will include engaging in sun salutations, breathing exercises and relaxation. Sun salutations involves performing 10 postures in a particular sequence, and then repeating that sequence. Some of the positions include bending over and touching one's toes, and lying belly-down on the ground and pushing up from ground while arching backwards. The activity will begin as a low intensity activity for the first 5 minutes, and the intensity will be gradually increased. Participants' heart rate will be measured before and after the intervention. The intervention will be delivered by a video displayed on a tablet device. An orientation session in the beginning will familiarize participants with the activity.

Sun salutations

Aerobic exercise BEHAVIORAL

This group will be asked to walk on the treadmill for the same amount of time (i.e. 25 minutes) at a moderate intensity (50-70% of their maximum heart rate). Participants will receive an initial 5-minute orientation and then begin at a self-selected speed for the first 5 minutes. Heart rate will be measured and monitored by an undergraduate research assistant. Speed will be increased after 5 minutes if participants have not reached the moderate zone. If participants still have not reached the target heart rate zone by the 10-min mark, the incline of the treadmill will be increased by a 5% grade until the zone is reached.

Aerobic exercise

Seated rest BEHAVIORAL

This group will be watching educational videos for the same amount of time as the intervention groups. An orientation session of 5 minutes will be held in the beginning. Participants will be watching videos on general health related topics, such as healthy eating, while being seated in a quiet room, free of distractions.

Seated rest (attentional control)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Anyone between the ages of 18-45 years
• Anyone with a score of 3 or higher on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptom checklist of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5. That is, anyone meeting 3 or more symptoms, on more days of the week than not, for the past 6 months:
• \. Restlessness, feeling keyed up or on edge. 2. Being easily fatigued. 3. Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank. 4. Irritability. 5. Muscle tension. 6. Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep).
• Ability to exercise at moderate to vigorous activity levels (defined as 50%-75% of the adjusted age-predicted maximum heart rate)
• Access to a smartphone and willingness to allow research staff to install a mobile activity tracker application (and space to allow for installation)
• Willingness to be randomized into one of three groups

You may not qualify if:

• Anyone who is physically active (≥30 minutes, 2 or more times/week, for the last 3 months) and/or a regular practitioner of Yoga or mind-body activities (≥30 minutes, 2 or more times/week, for the last 3 months).
• Anyone with serious chronic medical conditions that would preclude them from participating without a physician present, or anyone with a risk of seizure, or anyone having psychiatric and/or neurological disorders.
• Anyone who does not consent to wearing the Fitbit, or does not have a smartphone that allows us to download an app on their phone.
• Pregnant women.
• Anyone incapable of performing the following movements at a moderate intensity- sitting, standing, kicking, pulling, pushing, bending one's elbows, bending the body forward, bending one's knees, lying down and getting up.
• Anyone with blood pressure of 200/105 or more, and anyone who scores 1 or more on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
• Anyone refusing or unwilling to be randomized into either of the conditions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Location

Related Links

• Exercise, Technology, and Cognition Laboratory

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress, Psychological; Motor Activity

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Sean P Mullen
• Organization: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

spmullen@illinois.edu

217-244-4502

Study Officials

• Sean P Mullen, PhD

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Madhura Phansikar, MA

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2019
• First Posted: September 4, 2019
• Study Start: September 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 13, 2020
• Study Completion: March 13, 2020
• Last Updated: August 24, 2025
• Results First Posted: August 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Although this is not an NIH-funded study, we will update these records within 1 year of data collection completion per NIH guidelines.
• Access Criteria: Data will be accessible on an open site (e.g., Open Science Framework https://osf.io/) with a request to interested parties to engage with the investigative team about any publication of these data in an effort to avoid redundancy. Appropriate authorship crediting investigators involved in the parent study conceptualization, and any consultation regarding data interpretation should be sought by any researchers interested in publishing these data.

Locations

US (1)