👤 Shatakshi Ranade

The increasing prevalence of dementia and age-related decline in cognitive function poses significant public health challenges. Brain Gym exercises and mind-body practices (MBPs), which are nonpharmacological interventions, enhance cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity through integrated breathing, meditative, and physical elements; however, in older adults with cognitive impairment, the evidence remains fragmented. Hence, this scoping review maps the evidence in older adults regarding the effectiveness of Brain Gym and MBPs for improving cognitive function, compares outcomes with conventional or no interventions, assesses feasibility and safety, and identifies research gaps while outlining recommendations. A comprehensive search of PubMed and ScienceDirect (January 2020 to December 2025) identified English-language, full-text original research on MBPs versus comparators in community-dwelling or institutionalized adults. Five reviewers screened records, extracted data on study characteristics, interventions, and findings, and appraised quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A narrative synthesis approach was utilized to present the results. Eleven high-quality studies (n = 19-585; 2020-2025), primarily randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in community settings across Asia, the US, Mexico, and Indonesia, were included. MBPs improved global cognition, memory quotients, executive function, and attention compared with usual care, with mixed superiority over aerobic comparators; Brain Gym enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and domain-specific scores. Feasibility was high (81%-100% adherence, 89%-97% retention, no serious adverse events). Neuroimaging revealed gray matter increases in temporal and frontal regions and reduced inflammation. Gaps included short follow-up periods, limited virtual delivery, underrepresentation of frail subgroups, and limited mechanistic depth. Thus, MBPs and Brain Gym demonstrate accessible and promising cognitive benefits via neuroplastic mechanisms, outperforming controls in feasibility and domain-specific gains. Multicenter, long-term studies with diverse, high-risk cohorts and hybrid modalities are essential to refine protocols, address equity, and support integration into geriatric care for dementia prevention. Show less

To screen for variants in the MC4R and LEP genes in 46 patients with clinical suspicion of non-syndromic early onset severe obesity (NEOSO). Children with early onset obesity satisfying WHO criteria of obesity were studied. The MC4R and LEP genes were sequenced using a PCR amplicon based NGS on Illumina MiSeq next generation sequencer using an in-house developed protocol. Of the 46 children tested, four were found to have novel pathogenic/likely-pathogenic variants (one in the MC4R gene and three in the LEP gene). In three out of the 4 families, the presence of the variants was confirmed using standard bidirectional capillary sequencing in the probands. Four children with novel likely pathogenic variants in the MC4R and LEP genes are reported. Genetic analysis is crucial in children with early onset obesity and should be considered. Show less