Effect of yoga on cognitive function of hypertensive personnel in India’s Central Industrial Security Force

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protects India’s strategic assets, a role burdened with stress that may affect cognitive functions in hypertensive personnel. This study investigates yoga’s potential to enhance cognitive abilities in these individuals. Methods: In our study, 88 male CISF personnel at the Indian Space Research Organisation, Bangalore, aged 25­60 years, were divided into yoga and control groups. The yoga group underwent a 3-month regimen, daily 1-h sessions for 5 days each week. These sessions included a combination of loosening exercises, breathing practices, asanas, pranayama, and relaxation techniques. Cognitive evaluations were performed using Psychological Experimental Building Language software, encompassing the digit span, Stroop task, and Tower of London tests. Results: Postintervention, the yoga group marginally improved in the digit forward task without significant difference (p = 0.12), while in the digit backward task, they showed a slight decline compared to the control group’s pronounced decrease (p = 0.03). In the Stroop task, across all conditions-reaction time for the congruent condition (RTC), neutral condition (RTN), and incongruent condition (RTI)-the yoga group demonstrated either stable or slightly increased reaction times. In contrast, the control group exhibited significant increases in reaction times across these conditions. Significant differences were observed across conditions (RTC: p < 0.001, r = −0.67; RTN: p < 0.001, r = −0.65; RTI: p < 0.001, r = −0.70). Post-intervention, the yoga group demonstrated improved accuracy across all conditions: congruent (96%), incongruent (80%), and neutral (92%). Post-intervention, the yoga group significantly reduced their errors compared to the control group, as indicated by a notable decrease in error rate (p < 0.001, r = -0.68). Postintervention, the yoga group exhibited enhanced planning abilities (p = 0.0038, r = −0.36). Conclusion: Our study highlights the potential of yoga-based interventions in boosting cognitive abilities among hypertensive members of India’s CISF. However, a deeper exploration is essential to comprehensively understand yoga’s cognitive impact.