Abstract
According to International Diabetic Federation, type 2 diabetic population is on the rise globally and cognitive decline is one of the complications seen in type 2 diabetes. The present study is aimed at exploring the role of regular practice of yoga on cognition in type 2 diabetes and also to study the relation between the cognition and functional status of autonomic nervous system by considering the Cardiac Autonomic (CAN) function tests. Ten type 2 diabetic subjects of both the sex, aged between 35-55 years, who practiced yoga for a period of six months at Yogi Vemana Yoga Research Institute were recruited as test group. Age and sex matched ten type 2 diabetic subjects were recruited as control group; both the group subjects are on oral hypoglycemic agents. Glycosylated hemoglobin concentration was estimated with Bio-Rad instrument, cognition was assessed with Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised battery and Cardiac autonomic function tests were also conducted. Unpaired student t test was performed and p<0.05 is considered statistically significant. The mean HbA1c concentration in control and test group subjects is 7.8±1.84 and 6.9±0.4% (p=0.03) respectively. Mean cognitive scores in test and control group subjects are 93±4.5 and 85±4.0 (p=0.008) respectively. CAN test results didn't showed any significance between the test and control group. But CAN functions are affected in both the groups. Regular practice of yoga in combination with oral hypoglycemic agents has a positive effect on cognition in type 2 diabetes.