MINNESOTA: University of Minnesota (UMN) School of Nursing in Minneapolis is assessing “the effect of yoga on measures of oxidative stress; motor function; and non-motor function in individuals with Parkinson’s disease”.
“Yoga, a popular exercise modality, uses poses, meditation, and breath-control techniques to help improve physical function and psychosocial wellbeing”, a UMN announcement states.
Corjena Cheung, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor in the University of Minnesota’s School of Nursing, has embarked on a new study to help those with Parkinson’s disease.”A lot of people are doing yoga now, but there’s not a lot of research on its therapeutic effects,” Cheung said.
In this new study, Cheung hopes to discover whether yoga could also be an effective complementary option to medications that almost always accompany a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. She hopes to reduce stress, which could be contributing to some of the Parkinson’s symptoms and making them worse.
In this feasibility study, Cheung is looking for 20 participants with Parkinson’s disease between the ages of 45 and 75.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, disabling, and costly neurodegenerative condition in which motor and non-motor features are currently not being managed sufficiently. On average, one American is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease every nine minutes, announcement adds.
UMN study’s participants include individuals diagnosed with idiopathic PD in 45-75 age group who are participating in a yoga program. Assistant Professor Dr. Corjena K. Cheung is leading this study.
UMN is a public research university, established in 1851, whose mission includes “We change lives”. Dr. Connie White Delaney is School of Nursing Dean, Eric W. Kaler is UMN President and Dean Johnson is UMN Regents Chair.
According to a recently released “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image
India Post News Service
