1 2776 98 YOGA SCHOOL OF THOUGHT AND PSYCHIATRY: THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL. YOGA IS A TRADITIONAL LIFE-STYLE PRACTICE USED FOR SPIRITUAL REASONS. HOWEVER, THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS LIKE THE ASANAS AND PRANAYAAMAS HAVE DEMONSTRATED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THERE IS EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AS BEING A POTENT ANTIDEPRESSANT THAT MATCHES WITH DRUGS. IN DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, YOGA 'CORRECTS' AN UNDERLYING COGNITIVE PHYSIOLOGY. IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS, YOGA HAS BENEFITS AS AN ADD-ON INTERVENTION IN PHARMACOLOGICALLY STABILIZED SUBJECTS. THE EFFECTS ARE PARTICULARLY NOTABLE ON NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS. YOGA ALSO HELPS TO CORRECT SOCIAL COGNITION. YOGA CAN BE INTRODUCED EARLY IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOSIS WITH SOME BENEFITS. ELEVATION OF OXYTOCIN MAY BE A MECHANISM OF YOGA EFFECTS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF YOGA HAVE DEMONSTRATED NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF VAGAL STIMULATION, INDICATING THIS (INDIRECT OR AUTOGENOUS VAGAL STIMULATION) AS A POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF ITS ACTION. IT IS TIME, PSYCHIATRISTS EXPLOITED THE BENEFITS IF YOGA FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CARE IN THEIR PATIENTS. 2013 2 1587 22 MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY. MEDICAL YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE USE OF YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS. BEYOND THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE FOR STRENGTHENING THE BODY, MEDICAL YOGA ALSO INCORPORATES APPROPRIATE BREATHING TECHNIQUES, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS. MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BODY IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING HELPING TO REGULATE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, IMPROVE MUSCULOSKELETAL AILMENTS AND KEEPING THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN TUNE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, AS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA CAN HELP TO INCREASE MENTAL ENERGY AND POSITIVE FEELINGS, AND DECREASE NEGATIVE FEELINGS OF AGGRESSIVENESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2017 3 1937 27 ROLE OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF NEUROTIC DISORDERS: CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS. A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA, NOT ONLY IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDER BUT ALSO IN PROMOTING POSITIVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS PAPER REVIEWS VARIOUS STUDIES ON THE TREATMENT OF NEUROSIS WITH TECHNIQUES DERIVED FROM YOGA. A FEW LACUNAE HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ARE OUTLINED. IT IS HOPED THAT RESEARCH ALONG THESE LINES WILL DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED METHOD OF YOGA THERAPY WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED AND INTEGRATED WITHIN THE EXISTING METHODS OF TREATMENT OF NEUROTIC DISORDERS. 1994 4 406 33 BIOLOGICAL MARKERS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. FROM THE LAST FEW DECADES, THERE ARE INCREASING INCIDENCES OF DISORDERS LIKE PREMATURE AGING, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, FIBROMYALGIA, AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN ADDITION TO MEDICATION, RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT YOGA, A MIND-BODY THERAPY, CAN BE USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. YOGA COMBINES SPECIFIC PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING TECHNIQUES, RELAXATION AND MEDITATION THAT IMPROVE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE BODY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW IS TO COLLATE THE RESEARCH EVIDENCES CLAIMING HEALTH BENEFITS OF PERFORMING TRADITIONAL YOGIC PRACTICES. WHAT ARE THE BIOLOGICAL AND OTHER RELIABLE INDICATORS TO SUGGEST THAT DOING ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, AND MEDITATION COULD REDUCE OR TREAT WIDE RANGE OF LIFE STYLE DISORDERS ARE DISCUSSED. IMPORTANTLY, THESE INDICATORS ARE OTHERWISE USED TO ASSESS THE SEVERITY OF DISORDERS. IN MANY OF THE STUDY IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT YOGA IMPROVES THE REDOX HEALTH OF BODY WHOSE IMBALANCE HAS BEEN WELL PROVEN TO CAUSE MANY HEALTH COMPLICATIONS. THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES HAVE REVEALED THAT IT REVERSES MEMORY LOSS, REDUCE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS, THE BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF DISEASE. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS AND THEREFORE FURTHER RESEARCH INTO YOGA IS NEEDED TO VALIDATE THESE FINDINGS. 2019 5 2881 37 YOGA: A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE WITH THERAPEUTIC VALUE IN PSYCHIATRY. UNLABELLED: YOGA IS ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES DERIVED FROM THE ORTHODOX SCHOOL OF HINDU PHILOSOPHY. THE PRACTICES WERE CODIFIED BY PATANJALI UNDER THE TITLE OF ASHTANGA YOGA. ALTHOUGH YOGA WAS TRADITIONALLY SEEN AS A PRACTICE MEANT FOR ACHIEVING SELF-REALIZATION, IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICES ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. YOGA AS A THERAPY HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AS A SOLE OR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION IN SEVERAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. CONCLUSIONS: THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, ALONG WITH NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS WHICH MAY UNDERLIE THESE CHANGES. THIS SUGGESTS THAT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR THEIR PATIENTS, EITHER AS COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTIONS TO MODERN TREATMENTS OR AS SOLE TREATMENT IN SOME DISORDERS. 2012 6 1882 32 REDUCING ALLOSTATIC LOAD IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA PRACTICE AS ADD-ON THERAPIES. THE ALLOSTATIC LOAD (AL) INDEX CONSTITUTES A USEFUL TOOL TO OBJECTIVELY ASSESS THE BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS IN CLINICAL PRACTICE. AL INDEX HAS BEEN POSITIVELY CORRELATED WITH CUMULATIVE CHRONIC STRESS (PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS) AND WITH A HIGH RISK TO DEVELOP PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS (E.G., METABOLIC SYNDROME, CARDIOVASCULAR PATHOLOGY, INFLAMMATORY DISORDERS) AND THE SO-CALLED STRESS-RELATED PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, INCLUDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS. CHRONIC STRESS HAS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON BRAIN NEUROPLASTICITY, ESPECIALLY ON HIPPOCAMPAL NEUROGENESIS AND THESE EFFECTS MAY BE REVERSED BY ANTIDEPRESSANT TREATMENTS. SEVERAL EVIDENCES INDICATE THAT NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS BASED ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA PRACTICE MAY ADD SYNERGIZING BENEFITS TO CLASSICAL TREATMENTS (ANTIDEPRESSANT AND BENZODIAZEPINES) FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, REDUCING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS. THE AIM OF THIS REVIEW IS TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON AL AND CHRONIC STRESS IN RELATION TO DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA PRACTICE. 2020 7 76 28 A HEURISTIC MODEL LINKING YOGA PHILOSOPHY AND SELF-REFLECTION TO EXAMINE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF ADD-ON YOGA TREATMENT IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS EFFICACY OF YOGA AS ADD-ON TREATMENT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA, BUT THE UNDERLYING MECHANISM BY WHICH YOGA IMPROVES THE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. YOGA IMPROVES SELF-REFLECTION IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, AND SELF-REFLECTION ABNORMALITIES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. HOWEVER, WHETHER YOGA TREATMENT IMPROVES IMPAIRMENTS IN SELF-REFLECTION TYPICALLY SEEN IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NOT EXAMINED. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE POTENTIAL MECHANISM OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND PROPOSES A TESTABLE HYPOTHESIS FOR FURTHER EMPIRICAL STUDIES. IT IS PROPOSED THAT SELF-REFLECTION ABNORMALITIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA IMPROVE WITH YOGA AND THE NEUROBIOLOGICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CAN BE EXAMINED USING EMPIRICAL BEHAVIOURAL MEASURES AND NEUROIMAGING MEASURES SUCH AS MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING. 2016 8 2489 22 YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS: DOES IT HELP? THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE USES OF YOGA AS AN EXPERIENTIAL ADJUNCT TO OTHER FORMS OF THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS IN RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT SETTINGS. SUPPORTED BY OTHER TREATMENT MODALITIES, YOGA CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR INCREASING SELF-AWARENESS, REFLECTION AND THE ABILITY TO SELF-SOOTHE. LIKE OTHER INTERVENTIONS, YOGA HAS POTENTIAL MISUSES. THESE MISUSES ARE UNCOVERED WITH SUGGESTIONS MADE AS TO HOW THERAPISTS CAN SUPPORT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT SETTINGS. 2009 9 2908 22 [PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES]. PREVENTION OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES SHOULD BE COMPLEX AND SYSTEMATIC AND IT SHOULD INCLUDE TRAINING OF SOCIAL SKILLS, DECISION-MAKING SKILLS, FAMILY INTERVENTION, ETC. SIMILARLY, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT IS USUALLY LONG-TERM, SYSTEMATIC AND COMPLEX. PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA CAN BE USEFUL COMPONENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMMES. ON THE OTHER HAND, COMPETITIVE PROFESSIONAL SPORT RATHER INCREASES THE NUMBER OF RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE-RELATED PROBLEMS. PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE USE OF YOGA IN SUBSTANCE DEPENDENT PATIENTS AND PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLES ARE MENTIONED. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF YOGA IS THE INTEGRATION OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND RELAXATION. 2005 10 2600 26 YOGA FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS: NURSING AND RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS. OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IS A LEADING CAUSE OF PAIN AND DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. CURRENT TREATMENT GUIDELINES RECOMMEND NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACHES SUCH AS YOGA FOR FIRSTLINE TREATMENT OF OA. YOGA IS A PROMISING MIND-BODY PRACTICE THAT INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING PRACTICES, AND MEDITATIVE MENTAL FOCUS. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS THE CURRENT EVIDENCE, AS WELL AS A PROPOSED CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. CURRENT RESEARCH ON YOGA FOR OA IS SCANT BUT PROMISING, SHOWING SOME EVIDENCE OF REDUCED PAIN, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND DISABILITY. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL DESCRIBED HERE PROPOSES MUSCULOSKELETAL EFFECTS (STRENGTHENING, FLEXIBILITY, RELAXATION), REDUCTION OF AUTONOMIC AROUSAL, AND THERAPEUTIC COGNITIVE PATTERNS (DISTRACTION, MINDFULNESS) AS POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT MECHANISMS OF YOGA. THIS ARTICLE ALSO DESCRIBES CONSIDERATIONS FOR PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHEN EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL USEFULNESS AND SAFETY OF YOGA PROGRAMS: YOGA STYLE, INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS, AND AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2012 11 226 31 A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIALS ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON STRESS MEASURES AND MOOD. STRESS RELATED DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE LEADING SOURCES OF DISABILITY WORLDWIDE, AND CURRENT TREATMENT METHODS SUCH AS CONVENTIONAL ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS ARE NOT BENEFICIAL FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT YOGA HAS MOOD-ENHANCING PROPERTIES POSSIBLY RELATED TO ITS INHIBITORY EFFECTS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS AND INFLAMMATION, WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. HOWEVER THE BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS VIA WHICH YOGA EXERTS ITS THERAPEUTIC MOOD-MODULATING EFFECTS ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW INVESTIGATES THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND HYPOTHALAMIC PITUITARY ADRENAL AXIS REGULATION MEASURES. IT FOCUSES ON STUDIES COLLECTING PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, CORTISOL, PERIPHERAL CYTOKINE EXPRESSION AND/OR STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL BRAIN MEASURES IN REGIONS INVOLVED IN STRESS AND MOOD REGULATION. OVERALL THE 25 RANDOMISED CONTROL STUDIES DISCUSSED PROVIDE PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT YOGA PRACTICE LEADS TO BETTER REGULATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A DECREASE IN DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIOUS SYMPTOMS IN A RANGE OF POPULATIONS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO CONFIRM THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. 2015 12 1918 25 ROLE OF YOGA AND MEDITATION AS COMPLIMENTARY THERAPEUTIC REGIME FOR STRESS-RELATED NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: UTILIZATION OF BRAIN WAVES ACTIVITY AS NOVEL TOOL. DURING RECENT DECADES, STRESS-RELATED NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, CHRONIC TENSION HEADACHE, AND MIGRAINE HAVE ESTABLISHED THEIR STRONGHOLD IN THE LIVES OF A VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS GLOBAL PHENOMENON, INTENSIVE STUDIES HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT LEADING TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF DRUGS LIKE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, ANXIOLYTICS, AND ANALGESICS WHICH ALTHOUGH HELP IN COMBATING THE SYMPTOMS OF SUCH DISORDERS BUT ALSO CREATE LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS. THUS, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUCH CLINICAL PRACTICES, VARIOUS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS YOGA AND MEDITATION HAVE BEEN PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ALLEVIATING THE CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS OF DIFFERENT NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE ROLE OF ALTERED BRAIN WAVES IN THIS CONTEXT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AND NEEDS TO BE PURSUED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. THUS, THE CURRENT STUDY PROVIDES A REVIEW FOCUSED ON DESCRIBING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ON ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS WELL AS EXPLORING BRAIN WAVES AS A TOOL FOR ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF THESE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR SUCH DISORDERS. 2020 13 514 21 COMPARING AEROBIC EXERCISE WITH YOGA IN ANXIETY REDUCTION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW. ANXIETY IS A COMMON MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER THAT AFFECTS MANY AMERICANS YET OFTEN GOES UNRECOGNIZED OR UNDERTREATED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO REVIEW THE CURRENT LITERATURE TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING WHICH ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY, AEROBIC EXERCISE OR YOGA, IS MOST BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING ANXIETY SYMPTOMS. THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF 14 ARTICLES INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW. RESULTS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING ANXIETY SYMPTOMS THAN AEROBIC EXERCISE. HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE FORM OF THERAPY FOR PATIENTS. 2022 14 2255 11 THE PATH FROM YOGA THERAPY IN A MEDICAL SCHOOL TO A SCHOOL OF YOGA THERAPY IN AN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE DEPARTMENT. WE DESCRIBE HOW YOGA THERAPY WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN A MEDICAL SCHOOL. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PAPER OUTLINES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA THERAPY POSITION AS WELL AS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A SCHOOL OF YOGA THERAPY IN A UNIVERSITY-BASED TEACHING HOSPITAL. 2015 15 2436 36 YOGA AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A REVIEW OF BIOMARKER EVIDENCE. TRADITIONALLY, YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A MEANS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH BUT OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES OR SO ITS THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY EXPLORED. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE USEFUL AS A MONO-THERAPY IN MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION AND AS AN ADJUVANT IN SEVERAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS INCLUDING SCHIZOPHRENIA, ANXIETY DISORDERS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. FURTHERMORE, SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF YOGA IN THESE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. GIVEN THAT NO PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER HAS STRONG AND ESTABLISHED BIOMARKERS, IT IS INTERESTING THAT PRELIMINARY RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CERTAIN IMPORTANT BIOMARKERS FOLLOWING REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. IN THIS BRIEF REVIEW, WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BIOCHEMICAL, NEURO-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND NEURO-IMAGING RELATED BIO-MARKERS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. ALTHOUGH FINDINGS AND TRENDS ARE PROMISING, MUCH MORE RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO ESTABLISH A DEFINITE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR YOGA IN PSYCHIATRY. 2021 16 1590 19 MEDITATION AND YOGA CAN MODULATE BRAIN MECHANISMS THAT AFFECT BEHAVIOR AND ANXIETY-A MODERN SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE. MEDITATION AND YOGA TECHNIQUES ARE RECEIVING INCREASED ATTENTION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH THAT PROVES THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT BENEFITS OF SUCH PRACTICES. BASED ON STUDIES CONDUCTED SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION TRIGGERS NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT MODULATE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY. THIS PAPER WILL REVIEW THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION, THE ROLE OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS, AND STUDIES USING EEG AND FMRI. 2015 17 2798 43 YOGA THERAPY FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA. SCHIZOPHRENIA IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE MENTAL DISORDERS. DESPITE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN PHARMACOTHERAPY, TREATMENT REMAINS SUB-OPTIMAL, WITH MANY PATIENTS HAVING PERSISTING DEFICITS, ESPECIALLY IN COGNITIVE AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. YOGA AS A THERAPY HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AS A SOLE OR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. RECENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN THE APPLICATION OF YOGA THERAPY IN PSYCHOSIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA. TO REVIEW A) THE EVIDENCE FOR THE USE OF YOGA THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA B) STUDIES WHICH HAVE BEEN DONE IN THIS AREA, C) THE BARRIERS FOR REACHING YOGA TO PATIENTS, AND D) FUTURE DIRECTIONS, AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LITERATURE SEARCH OF PUBMED/MEDLINE, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, AND EBSCO AS WELL AS GREY LITERATURE WAS DONE. RESEARCH REPORTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF YOGA AS AN ADD-ON THERAPY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA, PARTICULARLY IN IMPROVING NEGATIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND SOCIAL COGNITION. HOWEVER, THE BIOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF THIS EFFECT REMAIN UNCLEAR, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT HORMONES LIKE OXYTOCIN MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHANGES IN SOCIAL COGNITION. 2012 18 203 26 A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE EXAMINING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES UNDERLYING THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA. AN ESTIMATED 7.4 MILLION AMERICANS CURRENTLY PRACTICE HATHA YOGA. MOREOVER, 64% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA REPORT DOING SO FOR WELL-BEING. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS REPORTED AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING; HOWEVER, FEW STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS INVOLVED. THE FOLLOWING REVIEW PROVIDES AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE FIELD OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, WHICH CONCEPTUALIZES YOGA AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HATHA YOGA IS PROVIDED THAT DESCRIBES THE PURPORTED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE. A REVIEW OF THE EMERGING LITERATURE RELATED TO NITRIC OXIDE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND WELL-BEING ALSO IS INCLUDED. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE STATE OF THE RESEARCH AND PROVIDES SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES. 2008 19 2429 34 YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE - A REVIEW AND COMPARISON. YOGA IS A MULTIFACETED SPIRITUAL TOOL WITH ENHANCED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS ONE OF ITS POSITIVE EFFECTS. THE COMPONENTS OF YOGA WHICH ARE VERY COMMONLY APPLIED FOR HEALTH BENEFITS ARE ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (REGULATED BREATHING) AND MEDITATION. IN THE CONTEXT OF ASANAS, YOGA RESEMBLES MORE OF A PHYSICAL EXERCISE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO THE PERCEPTION THAT YOGA IS ANOTHER KIND OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE. THIS ARTICLE AIMS AT EXPLORING THE COMMONALITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN TERMS OF CONCEPTS, POSSIBLE MECHANISMS AND EFFECTIVENESS FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. A NARRATIVE REVIEW IS UNDERTAKEN BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE FOR YOGA, ALONG WITH SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES AVAILABLE ON YOGA AND EXERCISE INCLUDING HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARATIVE TRIALS WITH HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS DISEASE CONDITIONS. PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICES HAVE SEVERAL SIMILARITIES, BUT ALSO IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS APPEAR TO BE EQUAL AND/OR SUPERIOR TO EXERCISE IN MOST OUTCOME MEASURES. EMPHASIS ON BREATH REGULATION, MINDFULNESS DURING PRACTICE, AND IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO MAINTENANCE OF POSTURES ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH DIFFERENTIATE YOGA PRACTICES FROM PHYSICAL EXERCISES. 2016 20 2516 22 YOGA CLINICAL RESEARCH REVIEW. IN THIS PAPER RECENT RESEARCH IS REVIEWED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ON PAIN SYNDROMES, CARDIOVASCULAR, AUTOIMMUNE AND IMMUNE CONDITIONS AND ON PREGNANCY. FURTHER, THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA INCLUDING DECREASED HEARTRATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AND THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS INCLUDING WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH ARE REVIEWED. FINALLY, POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS ARE PROPOSED INCLUDING THE STIMULATION OF PRESSURE RECEPTORS LEADING TO ENHANCED VAGAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCED CORTISOL. THE REDUCTION IN CORTISOL, IN TURN, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE EFFECTS SUCH AS ENHANCED IMMUNE FUNCTION AND A LOWER PREMATURITY RATE. 2011