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. 2020 Jun;216(6):291-293.
doi: 10.1192/bjp.2019.249.

Yoga for psychiatric disorders: from fad to evidence-based intervention?

Shivarama Varambally  1 , Sanju George  2 , Bangalore Nanjundaiah Gangadhar  3
Affiliations

Yoga for psychiatric disorders: from fad to evidence-based intervention?

Shivarama Varambally et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

There is growing evidence for yoga's neurobiological effects in people with psychiatric disorders. Postulated mechanisms of action include: (a) modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; (b) enhancement of GABAergic neurotransmission; (c) autonomic modulation; and (d) neuroendocrinological effects. Yoga as a therapeutic intervention in psychiatric disorders appears promising and merits further attention in clinical practice and research.

Keywords: Yoga; biomarkers; complementary therapies; evidence-base; psychiatry.

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