UCB (Umbilical Cord Blood) of yoga practiced pregnant women rescue arificially induced amnesia in mice.
The Neuroscience of Yoga Program investigates the psychological, physiological, and cellular effects of yoga practice. Our aim is to elucidate the pathways through which yoga and meditation confer health benefits. Given that pregnant individuals are particularly susceptible to psychological distress, this population offers a valuable perspective on the impact of yoga on psychological well-being. Additionally, we examine the potential effects of yoga on naive stem cells in umbilical cord blood, which are directly linked to fetal development, to assess the potential transfer of yoga benefits to the fetus. To support our findings, we confirm stem cell efficacy through animals to understand these effects comprehensively.
My work, which integrates human recruitment and animal studies, explored the effects of mind-body interventions, including synergized breathing, on pregnancy outcomes and umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived stem cells. The study demonstrated that these interventions improved psychological well-being in pregnant women and increased markers for lineage-negative stem cells in UCB. When these stem cells were stereotactically transplanted into the hippocampus of a memory loss mouse model, neurobehavioral assessments showed enhanced learning and reversal of memory deficits in the intervention group compared to controls. Additionally, histochemical analysis of the hippocampus revealed increased expression of neurotrophic markers. Overall, the study indicates that mind-body interventions, particularly synergized breathing exercises, offer significant benefits during pregnancy and may enhance stem cell efficacy.
