Abstract
Various pranayama techniques are known to produce different physiological effects. We evaluated the effect of three-different pranayama techniques on cerebrovascular hemodynamics. Eighteen healthy volunteers with the mean ± standard deviation age of 23.78 ± 2.96 years were performed three-different pranayama techniques: (1) Bhramari, (2) Kapalbhati and (3) Bahir-Kumbhaka in three-different orders. Continuous transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring was performed before, during and after the pranayama techniques. TCD parameters such as peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity (EDV), mean flow velocity (MFV) and pulsatility index (PI) of right middle cerebral artery were recorded. Practice of Kapalbhati showed significant reductions in EDV and MFV with significant increase in PI while, Bahir-Kumbhaka showed significant increase in EDV and MFV with significant reduction in PI. However, no such significant changes were observed in Bhramari pranayama. Various types of pranayama techniques produce different cerebrovascular hemodynamic changes in healthy volunteers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aaslid, R., Markwalder, T. M., & Nornes, H. (1982). Noninvasive transcranial doppler ultrasound recording of flow velocity in basal cerebral arteries. Journal of Neurosurgery, 57(6), 769–774.
Bathala, L., Mehndiratta, M. M., & Sharma, V. K. (2013). Transcranial doppler: Technique and common findings (Part 1). Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, 16(2), 174. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-2327.112460.
Battisti-Charbonney, A., Fisher, J., & Duffin, J. (2011). The cerebrovascular response to carbon dioxide in humans. The Journal of Physiology, 589(12), 3039–3048. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.206052.
Dinesh, T., Gaur, G., Sharma, V., Madanmohan, T., & Bhavanani, A. (2015). Comparative effect of 12 weeks of slow and fast pranayama training on pulmonary function in young, healthy volunteers: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Yoga, 8(1), 22–26. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.146051.
Kuppusamy, M., Kamaldeen, D., Pitani, R., & Amaldas, J. (2016). Immediate effects of bhramari pranayama on resting cardiovascular parameters in healthy adolescents. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 10, CC17–C9. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2016/19202.7894.
Madanmohan, T., Udupa, K., Bhavanani, A. B., Vijayalakshmi, P., & Surendiran, A. (2005). Effect of slow and fast pranayams on reaction time and cardiorespiratory variables. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 49, 313–318.
Mooventhan, A., & Khode, V. (2014). Effect of Bhramari pranayama and OM chanting on pulmonary function in healthy individuals: A prospective randomized control trial. International Journal of Yoga, 7(2), 104. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.133875.
Müller, M., Voges, M., Piepgras, U., & Schimrigk, K. (1995). Assessment of cerebral vasomotor reactivity by transcranial doppler ultrasound and breath-holding. Stroke, 26(1), 96–100.
Nivethitha, L., Mooventhan, A., Manjunath, N. K., Bathala, L., & Sharma, V. K. (2017). Cerebrovascular hemodynamics during pranayama techniques. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, 8(1), 60. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-3147.193532.
Parkes, M. J. (2006). Breath-holding and its breakpoint. Experimental Physiology, 91(1), 1–15.
Raghuraj, P., Ramakrishnan, A. G., Nagendra, H. R., & Telles, S. (1998). Effect of two selected yogic breathing techniques on heart rate variability. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 42, 467–472.
Raghuraj, P., & Telles, S. (2008). Immediate effect of specific nostril manipulating yoga breathing practices on autonomic and respiratory variables. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 33(2), 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-008-9055-0.
Saraswati, S. (2008). Asana pranayama mudra bandha (4th revised ed.). Munger: Yoga Publications Trust.
Sharma, V. K., Rajajeyakumar, M., Velkumary, S., Subramanian, S. K., Bhavanani, A. B., Madanmohan, S. A., & Thangavel, D. (2014). Effect of fast and slow pranayama practice on cognitive functions in healthy volunteers. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 8(1), 10–13. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2014/7256.3668.
Sharma, V. K., Trakroo, M., Subramaniam, V., Rajajeyakumar, M., Bhavanani, A. B., & Sahai, A. (2013). Effect of fast and slow pranayama on perceived stress and cardiovascular parameters in young health-care students. International Journal of Yoga, 6(2), 104–110. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.113400.
Telles, S., Singh, N., & Balkrishna, A. (2011). Heart rate variability changes during high frequency yoga breathing and breath awareness. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 5(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0759-5-4.
Telles, S., Singh, N., & Balkrishna, A. (2012). Finger dexterity and visual discrimination following two yoga breathing practices. International Journal of Yoga, 5(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.91710.
Thangavel, D., Gaur, G. S., Sharma, V. K., Bhavanani, A. B., Rajajeyakumar, M., & Syam, S. A. (2014). Effect of slow and fast pranayama training on handgrip strength and endurance in healthy volunteers. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 8(5), BC01–BC03. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2014/7452.4390.
Willie, C. K., Tzeng, Y. C., Fisher, J. A., & Ainslie, P. N. (2014). Integrative regulation of human brain blood flow. The Journal of Physiology, 592(5), 841–859. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2013.268953.
Yang, R., Brugniaux, J., Dhaliwal, H., Beaudin, A. E., Eliasziw, M., Poulin, M. J., & Dunn, J. F. (2015). Studying cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism using simultaneous near-infrared spectroscopy and transcranial doppler ultrasound: A hyperventilation and caffeine study. Physiological Reports, 3(4), e12378. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12378.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
Study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics committee, S-VYASA University, Bengaluru, India.
Informed Consent
A written informed consent was obtained from each participant.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nivethitha, L., Mooventhan, A., Manjunath, N.K. et al. Cerebrovascular Hemodynamics During the Practice of Bhramari Pranayama, Kapalbhati and Bahir-Kumbhaka: An Exploratory Study. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 43, 87–92 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-017-9387-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-017-9387-8