Yoga changes the brain: it's scientific

By Marc Toutain and Anne-Lise Marais, University of Caen Normandy

Over the past decade, yoga has become trendy, as evidenced by the proliferation of its variations, more or less fanciful, and the creation, in 2015, of an "International Day of Yoga".


This discipline is credited with numerous benefits, and scientific studies have sought to evaluate its effects on health, as well as its potential to improve the conditions of patients suffering from various ailments, such as lower back pain, cancer, or heart problems. The consequences of practicing yoga have been studied not only in the general population but also among specific groups: adolescents, people with mental disorders, etc.

The results suggest that practicing yoga indeed translates to various positive effects on physical health. This practice notably helps improve balance, flexibility, as well as strengthen muscles and the heart. Yoga may also have a beneficial effect on the immune system, and be of interest in pain management.

What about mental health? It is well-known today that physical activity is beneficial for mental health. Yoga is no exception. It even has a direct effect on the brain. Here's an explanation.

Yoga improves brain activity

Yoga is unique compared to other types of physical activities as it combines sequences of movements with breathing exercises and attention regulation.

In a recent meta-analysis, which is a statistical analysis of data published in the scientific literature (an "analysis of analyses"), Chinese researchers examined the results of 15 scientific publications that studied the effects of yoga and similar "mind-body" physical activities (tai chi chuan or taiji, qi gong, baduanjin, wuqinxi...). In these various works, researchers notably used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to observe the effects of yoga on the brain.

The analysis of the overall results from these different studies shows several improvements in practitioners of these mind-body activities, including an increase in the size of certain brain regions and their activity. These changes mainly occur in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, temporal lobe, insula, and cingulate cortex, structures that are primarily involved in emotional regulation, memory, and self-control.

Researchers have also observed better functional connectivity in higher-level brain networks, such as the cognitive control network (regulating attention, inhibition, working memory, etc.) and the default mode network (network of self and others' thoughts and emotions).

Another meta-analysis highlighted that the cerebral changes observed in MRI could be linked to behavioral changes (observed during psychological evaluations of yoga practitioners through questionnaires, observations, or interviews). How do these brain changes impact their daily lives?

Yoga reduces stress

A meta-analysis of 42 studies examined the effect of yoga practice on stress. Stress is a biopsychological response manifested by physiological symptoms, negative thoughts, and cognitive slowing.

Yoga seems to help reduce stress by decreasing the amount of cortisol, the main stress hormone. These results need to be taken with caution and require further studies with larger participant groups and longer duration interventions to determine the long-term effect of yoga on stress.

In addition to this hormonal change, other studies indicate that yoga has an effect on the activity of the frontal and parietal cortex of the brain. The frontal cortex is associated with self-control and emotions, while the parietal cortex is responsible for processing and integrating sensory information.

This can be explained by the fact that a yoga session is punctuated by meditative moments where practitioners often focus on their breathing, a specific part of their body, or what they feel at the moment. These moments of meditation would help better regulate the activity of these brain regions while reducing activity associated with mental load or stress.

Yoga improves anxiety and depression symptoms

Anxiety is an overflow of emotional regulation capacity manifested by symptoms found in stress. It resembles diffuse worry, associated with concentration and sleep difficulties. Depression, on the other hand, is a psychiatric disorder characterized by emotional dysregulation associated with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, as well as loss of interest and withdrawal.

Anxiety and depression are associated with a change in the activity of the amygdala, a brain structure involved in negative emotions.


A meta-analysis of 27 studies conducted on children and adolescents examined the effects of yoga on anxiety and depression symptoms. Participants were either typical individuals or those with various pathologies (ovarian pathology, heart disease, digestive disorders, etc.).

This analysis revealed that 70% of these works showed an improvement in the mental health of young people following the practice of yoga, particularly in anxiety, and these results are directly linked to the decrease in amygdala activity found in adult practitioners. These beneficial effects on anxiety and depression symptoms have also been demonstrated in adults, as well as in people suffering from anxiety and depression disorders.

Studies in this field of research are still recent; they are few and heterogeneous in their protocols. Therefore, it is necessary to remain cautious when interpreting the results. Additionally, in case of anxiety and depression disorders, practicing yoga does not replace medical and psychological care. These results nonetheless suggest that yoga could not only be used as a physical activity but also to improve mental health.

Yoga also improves cognitive performance

Practicing yoga appears to have an impact on cognitive performance as well. A meta-analysis published in 2020 covering 13 articles shows that following yoga sessions, adults with or without cognitive disorders exhibited improvements in attention, memory performance, and inhibition.

These improvements may be linked to the brain changes observed through brain imaging, particularly the increase in gray matter in the hippocampus, medial temporal lobe, prefrontal cortex, insula, and cingulate cortex, regions closely related to cognitive performance. Furthermore, the increased activity in the frontal regions of the brain is lasting. The authors of these studies, however, recommend conducting further studies with larger sample sizes and standardized protocols (randomized controlled trials) to improve the quantity and quality of available data.


It is important to note that the observed improvements seem particularly due to mindfulness and meditation exercises that punctuate yoga sessions. During sessions, the use of these exercises could have a crucial synergistic effect. This could mean that to observe the effects of yoga on anxiety and depression symptoms and cognition, it is necessary to learn to direct attention to the present moment and one's emotions. Furthermore, other factors such as being in a group during sessions and having positive interactions could also contribute to reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.

If you wish to practice yoga and see its effects yourself, one question remains: which type to choose? Among the many types of yoga existing, three frequently appear in the studies we reviewed: Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, or Kripalu yoga. If you had to choose one to start with, it's probably one of these... Just find a class near you!