Effect of yoga therapy on plasma oxytocin and facial emotion recognition deficits in patients of schizophrenia

Abstract

Context:Yoga therapy has been demonstrated to be useful in treatment of negative symptoms and improving the socio-occupational functioning and emotion recognition deficits in antipsychotic-stabilized schizophrenia patients. Oxytocin has been recently implicated in social cognition deficits in schizophrenia. The effect of yoga therapy on oxytocin levels in schizophrenia has not been studied.Aims:This study aimed to assess the effect of yoga therapy on symptoms, socio-occupational functioning, facial emotion recognition deficits and plasma oxytocin levels in antipsychotic stabilized schizophrenia patients.Settings and Design:Randomized controlled study on 43 consenting, medication stabilized patients with schizophrenia in a tertiary psychiatric center using yoga intervention and waitlisted groups.Materials and Methods:A total of 43 schizophrenia patients were randomized to yoga group (n=15) or waitlist group (n=28). Patients in the yoga group received training in a specific yoga therapy module for schizophrenia. Patients in both groups were continued on stable antipsychotic medication. Assessments included scale for assessment of positive symptoms, scale for assessment of negative symptoms, socio-occupational functioning scale and tool for recognition of emotions in neuropsychiatric disorders (TRENDS) and plasma oxytocin levels; performed at baseline and at the end of 1 month.Results:A total of 15 patients in the yoga group and 12 in waitlist group completed the study. The yoga therapy group showed a significant improvement in socio-occupational functioning, performance on TRENDS (P<0.001) and plasma increase in oxytocin levels (P=0.01) as compared with the waitlist group.Conclusion:The study supported the role of add-on yoga therapy in management of schizophrenia and demonstrated an improvement in endogenous plasma oxytocin levels in schizophrenia patients receiving yoga therapy.

Yoga practice and the preservation of mental health: The global and national perspectives

“…To be precise, after 4 months of practicing yoga, patients showed a significant reduction in the presence of psychopathological symptoms, as well as an improvement in prosocial activity and quality of life. Similar results have also been found in other studies devoted to the above problem (Behere et al, 2011;Jayaram et al, 2013;Paikkatt et al, 2015;Talwar et al, 2010;Varambally et al, 2012). The results of a study conducted with 95 respondents (Deuskar, 2010) showed that practicing yoga nidra 8 for a month and a half significantly reduced the symptoms of stress, which was confirmed by other similar studies (Malathi & Damodaran, 1999;Potey et al, 2016).…”

“…У конкретном случају, након 4 мјесеца практиковања јоге пацијенти су показали значајно смањење присутних психопатолошких симптома као и побољшање просоцијалног дјеловања и квалитета живота. До сличних резултата, дошла су и друга истраживања посвећена наведеној проблематици (Behere et al, 2011;Jayaram et al, 2013;Paikkatt et al, 2015;Talwar et al, 2010;Varambally et al, 2012). Резултати истраживања спроведеног са 95 испитаница (Deuskar, 2010) указују да је практиковање јога нидре 8 у периоду од мјесец и по дана, значајно довело до смањења симптома стреса, што потврђују и друга слична истраживања (Malathi & Damodaran, 1999;Potey et al, 2016).…”

A randomised controlled trial of adjunctive yoga and adjunctive physical exercise training for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia

“…Yoga elevates oxytocin levels, which can improve emotion recognition (19). YT also reduces cortisol levels and thus may have an indirect neuro protective action (48).…”

“…Yoga training is feasible for individuals with psychotic disorders (15). Some randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of yoga indicated improvements in psychopathology and social cognition in SZ (16–19), although the benefits were variable (17,18,20). Like yoga, physical exercise is thought to benefit cognitive functions in persons with or without psychiatric disorders (21–26).…”

Cognitive remediation in schizophrenia—The view from India

“…The NIMHANS studies focussed on symptom control, quality of life, social functioning (Duraiswamy et al, 2007; Varambally and Gangadhar, 2012; Jayaram et al, 2013; Gangadhar, 2014; Talwadkar et al, 2014). Talwadkar and colleagues conducted a randomized controlled study in elderly and studied the effects of Trataka in comparison with wait listed patients (Talwadkar et al, 2014 from Gangadhar, 2014).…”