Sofia Fazazi | 2025 I.S. Symposium

Name: Sofia Fazazi
Title: Yoga intervention improves ADHD and cognitive measures in emerging adults with ADHD
Major: Neuroscience
Advisors: Amy Jo Stavnezer; Grit Herzmann

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders that persists into adulthood. For decades, research has attempted to find both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options to treat symptoms and associated deficits. However, sometimes these methods can be hard of access, ineffective, or not acceptable for patients. Research suggests that yoga can have a beneficial impact on several cognitive and behavioral areas in both the neurotypical and children with ADHD populations. To investigate this, participants with ADHD completed an 8-week Vinyasa yoga intervention along with executive functioning tasks and self-report questionnaires before and after the intervention. Between group analysis with controls who did not complete the sessions along with within group analysis of the experimental condition showed encouraging results. Yoga in this case was found to improve several mindfulness-centric measures and reduce negative ADHD-related deficits and symptoms in young adults with ADHD. These findings suggest that future research can delve even deeper into this novel literature. With few ameliorations to our methodological procedure, we could hopefully find effective and accessible personalized treatment for each young adult with ADHD.

Posted in Symposium 2025 on May 1, 2025.