PMID- 24049208 OWN - PIP STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE DCOM- 20130919 LR - 20230921 IS - 0019-5545 (Print) IS - 1998-3794 (Electronic) IS - 0019-5545 (Linking) VI - 55 IP - Suppl 3 DP - 2013 Jul TI - Positive therapeutic and neurotropic effects of yoga in depression: A comparative study. PG - S400-4 LID - 10.4103/0019-5545.116313 [doi] AB - CONTEXT: Therapeutic effect of yoga in depression is recognized. Neuroplastic effects of antidepressant therapies are inferred by elevations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Role of yoga in both these effects has not been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Non-suicidal, consecutive out-patients of depression were offered yoga either alone or with antidepressants. The depression severity was rated on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) before and at 3 months. Serum BDNF levels were measured at the same time points. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to look at change across groups with respect to HDRS scores and BDNF levels over 3 months of follow-up. Relationship between change in serum BDNF levels and change in HDRS scores was assessed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Both yoga groups were better than drugs-only group with respect to reduction in HDRS scores. Serum BDNF rose in the total sample in the 3-month period. This was not, however, different across treatment groups. There was a significant positive correlation between fall in HDRS and rise in serum BDNF levels in yoga-only group (r=0.702; P=0.001), but not in those receiving yoga and antidepressants or antidepressants-alone. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroplastic mechanisms may be related to the therapeutic mechanisms of yoga in depression. FAU - Naveen, G H AU - Naveen GH AD - Department of Psychiatry, Advanced Centre for Yoga, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. FAU - Thirthalli, J AU - Thirthalli J FAU - Rao, M G AU - Rao MG FAU - Varambally, S AU - Varambally S FAU - Christopher, R AU - Christopher R FAU - Gangadhar, B N AU - Gangadhar BN LA - eng PT - Journal Article PL - India TA - Indian J Psychiatry JT - Indian journal of psychiatry JID - 0013255 PMC - PMC3768221 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Antidepressant OT - brain-derived neurotrophic factor OT - depression OT - neuroplasticity OT - yoga COIS- Conflict of Interest: None declared. EDAT- 2013/09/21 06:00 MHDA- 2013/09/21 06:01 PMCR- 2013/07/01 CRDT- 2013/09/20 06:00 PHST- 2013/09/20 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2013/09/21 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2013/09/21 06:01 [medline] PHST- 2013/07/01 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - IJPsy-55-400 [pii] AID - 10.4103/0019-5545.116313 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Jul;55(Suppl 3):S400-4. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.116313.