Yoga to treat depression? NIMHANS undertakes research

  • | Friday | 14th June, 2019

Dr Shivaram Varambally, professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, and Rita Christopher, professor of Neurochemistry, are supervising a PhD dissertation on whether Yoga as a standalone treatment for depression works. They have 10 supervised sessions of Yoga and are later given videos and charts on practising Yoga themselves at home. As of now, we have shown that it has worked with psychotherapy, now we are researching on whether it alone works,” Varambally said. Patients who are getting treated on an outpatient basis can also opt for Yoga at the NIMHANS Integrated Centre for Yoga. “In the US, Sudha Prathikanti did a study that Yoga works as a standalone therapy for depression.

Suraksha P By Express News Service BENGALURU: Detractors of allopathy and modern medicine can now count on Yoga as monotherapy for depression, as the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) is undertaking research on whether it can be used to treat mild to moderate depression without using any antidepressants. The hospital already had separate modules for schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorders and other mental illnesses. Exercise in these modules have been proven to benefit patients in clinical trials and the findings have also been published in reputed research journals in India and abroad. Dr Shivaram Varambally, professor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, and Rita Christopher, professor of Neurochemistry, are supervising a PhD dissertation on whether Yoga as a standalone treatment for depression works. Varambally told City Express, “It is based on the patient's choice. People who are keen on Yoga and not medicine can volunteer for the study. They have 10 supervised sessions of Yoga and are later given videos and charts on practising Yoga themselves at home. After three months, we measure the level of depression.” Aditi Devi N, 31, who is pursuing the research, said, “It has already been proven in randomised trials at NIMHANS itself that Yoga alone works in treating depression. My research is on the mechanism. We take blood samples pre and post the Yoga sessions to see neuroplastic markers and inflammatory markers. Depression causes cognitive deficiencies and these markers indicate the changes.” Aditi plans to study 17 patients and has so far got 10 patients. “We have validated modules for schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorders, depression and for the elderly with cognitive problems. We are working on modules for opioid addiction, anxiety and panic. There is a major international study where BRICS countries are studying the elderly. As of now, we have shown that it has worked with psychotherapy, now we are researching on whether it alone works,” Varambally said. At least 50 patients suffering from mental illnesses do Yoga according to the specific modules designed for their disorder at the NIMHANS Integrated Centre for Yoga every day. The clinical trial findings that indicate that Yoga helps, along with medicines, for schizophrenia and depression, have been published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry in 2013 and International Review of Psychiatry in 2016. The trials studied 64 patients. Patients who are getting treated on an outpatient basis can also opt for Yoga at the NIMHANS Integrated Centre for Yoga. “In the US, Sudha Prathikanti did a study that Yoga works as a standalone therapy for depression. Medicines have lot of side effects, including sleepiness and sexual dysfunction, but Yoga doesn't. Medicines take two to three weeks to work, and Yoga also takes the same amount of time, if at least four sessions are done per week,” Varambally said.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Bangalore Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles