title: Adjunctive yoga v. health education for persistent major depression: a randomized controlled trial. A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing prenatal yoga to perinatal health education for antenatal depression Yoga- and meditation-based lifestyle intervention increases neuroplasticity and reduces severity of major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Feasibility of Exercise Training for the Short-Term Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial The influence of Hatha yoga as an add-on treatment in major depression on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis activity: a randomized trial. Training fast or slow? Exercise for depression: A randomized controlled trial. Yoga on Our Minds: A Systematic Review of Yoga for Neuropsychiatric Disorders Treating major depression with yoga: A prospective, randomized, controlled pilot trial Yoga and social support reduce prenatal depression, anxiety and cortisol. A pilot randomized controlled trial of the Yoga of Awareness program in the management of fibromyalgia Long-term effects of exercise at different intensity levels on depression: A randomized controlled trial. Design and Rationale for a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the Efficacy of Aerobic Exercise for Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Monitoring Depression Treatment Outcomes With the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Yoga of Awareness program for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors: results from a randomized trial Mindfulness-based yoga intervention for women with depression. Repetitive negative thinking as a transdiagnostic factor in depression and anxiety: A conceptual replication. Feasibility, acceptability, and effects of gentle Hatha yoga for women with major depression: findings from a randomized controlled mixed-methods study. Yoga and massage therapy reduce prenatal depression and prematurity. Effect of Integrated Yoga Module on Selected Psychological Variables among Women with Anxiety Problem.
abstract: BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine whether hatha yoga is an efficacious adjunctive intervention for individuals with continued depressive symptoms despite antidepressant treatment . METHOD We conducted a r and omized controlled trial of weekly yoga classes ( n = 63 ) v. health education classes ( Healthy Living Workshop ; HLW ; n = 59 ) in individuals with elevated depression symptoms and antidepressant medication use . HLW served as an attention-control group . The intervention period was 10 weeks , with follow-up assessment s 3 and 6 months afterwards . The primary outcome was depression symptom severity assessed by blind rater at 10 weeks . Secondary outcomes included depression symptoms over the entire intervention and follow-up periods , social and role functioning , general health perceptions , pain , and physical functioning . RESULTS At 10 weeks , we did not find a statistically significant difference between groups in depression symptoms ( b = -0.82 , s.e . = 0.88 , p = 0.36 ) . However , over the entire intervention and follow-up period , when controlling for baseline , yoga participants showed lower levels of depression than HLW participants ( b = -1.38 , s.e . = 0.57 , p = 0.02 ) . At 6-month follow-up , 51 % of yoga participants demonstrated a response ( ⩾50 % reduction in depression symptoms ) compared with 31 % of HLW participants ( odds ratio = 2.31 ; p = 0.04 ) . Yoga participants showed significantly better social and role functioning and general health perceptions over time . CONCLUSIONS Although we did not see a difference in depression symptoms at the end of the intervention period , yoga participants showed fewer depression symptoms over the entire follow-up period . Benefits of yoga may accumulate over time We conducted a pilot r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) comparing a prenatal yoga intervention to perinatal-focused health education in pregnant women with depression . Findings document acceptability and feasibility of the yoga intervention : no yoga-related injuries were observed , instructors showed fidelity to the yoga manual , and women rated interventions as acceptable . Although improvements in depression were not statistically different between groups , they favored yoga . This study provides support for a larger scale RCT examining prenatal yoga to improve mood during pregnancy BACKGROUND Current interventions for major depressive disorder ( MDD ) are suboptimal , and only one third respond to them on initial treatment . Neuroplasticity theories are the basis for several emerging treatments . Evidence on the impact of yoga , a well-known mind-body intervention , on neuroplasticity in MDD is limited . OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of 12-week yoga- and meditation-based lifestyle intervention ( YMLI ) on depression severity and systemic biomarkers of neuroplasticity in adult MDD patients on routine drug treatment . METHODS A total of 58 MDD patients were r and omized into yoga or control group . The severity of depression was assessed with Beck Depression Inventory-II scale ( BDI-II ) . Blood sample s were collected before and after intervention for the measurement of the biomarkers that characterize neuroplasticity , including mind-body communicative and cellular health biomarkers . RESULTS There was a significant decrease [ difference between means , ( 95 % CI ) ] in BDI-II score [ -5.83 ( -7.27 , -4.39 ) , p < 0.001 ] and significant increase in BDNF ( ng/ml ) [ 5.48 ( 3.50 , 7.46 ) , p < 0.001 ] after YMLI compared to control group . YMLI significantly increased DHEAS , sirtuin 1 , and telomerase activity levels , and decreased cortisol , and IL-6 levels , in addition to decreasing DNA damage and balancing oxidative stress . Multiple regression analyses were used to associate neuroplasticity biomarkers with depression severity . A ' post-intervention change in BDNF ' x ' group ' interaction indicated that yoga group had more BDNF in association with less BDI-II scores relative to controls . Increased sirtuin 1 and telomerase activity and decreased cortisol significantly predicted this association ( all p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSION These results suggest that decrease in depression severity after YMLI in MDD is associated with improved systemic biomarkers of neuroplasticity . Thus YMLI can be considered as a therapeutic intervention in MDD management Background : Exercise training may be especially helpful for patients with generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) . We conducted a r and omized controlled trial to quantify the effects of 6 weeks of resistance ( RET ) or aerobic exercise training ( AET ) on remission and worry symptoms among sedentary patients with GAD . Methods : Thirty sedentary women aged 18–37 years , diagnosed by clinicians blinded to treatment allocation with a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of GAD and not engaged in any treatment other than pharmacotherapy , were r and omly allocated to RET , AET , or a wait list ( WL ) . RET involved 2 weekly sessions of lower-body weightlifting . AET involved 2 weekly sessions of leg cycling matched with RET for body region , positive work , time actively engaged in exercise , and load progression . Remission was measured by the number needed to treat ( NNT ) . Worry symptoms were measured by the Penn State Worry Question naire . Results : There were no adverse events . Remission rates were 60 % , 40 % , and 30 % for RET , AET , and WL , respectively . The NNT was 3 ( 95 % CI 2 to 56 ) for RET and 10 ( 95 % CI –7 to 3 ) for AET . A significant condition-by-time interaction was found for worry symptoms . A follow-up contrast showed significant reductions in worry symptoms for combined exercise conditions versus the WL . Conclusions : Exercise training , including RET , is a feasible , low-risk treatment that can potentially reduce worry symptoms among GAD patients and may be an effective adjuvant , short-term treatment or augmentation for GAD . Preliminary findings warrant further investigation OBJECTIVES The impact of Hatha yoga as add-on treatment to quetiapine fumarate extended release ( QXR ) or escitalopram ( ESC ) in depressed patients on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ( HPA ) axis activity was assessed . METHODS 60 in patients suffering from major depressive disorder ( MDD ) according to DSM-IV were r and omized for a 5 week treatment with Yoga or not ( control group ) and with either QXR ( 300 mg/day ) or ESC ( 10 mg/day ) . Serial dexamethasone/corticotropin releasing hormone ( DEX/CRH ) tests were performed to assess HPA axis function . The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( 21-HAMD ) was used weekly . RESULTS A more pronounced down regulation of the HPA axis activity due to yoga could not be detected . The stepwise long term cortisol reduction was seen in both medication groups , irrespectively of yoga add-on treatment . In addition , cortisol improvers in week 1 of therapy ( reduction in cortisol peak value within the DEX/CRH test ) reached significant greater amelioration of depressive symptoms after 5 weeks . CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that antidepressant agents down regulate HPA axis function to a greater extent than additional Hatha yoga treatment . Moreover , an early reduction of HPA system hyperactivity after one week of pharmacological treatment seems to raise the possibility of a favorable treatment response Exercise can be used to treat depression but there is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal intensity and mode . Our aim was to compare the effects of different exercise intensities on post-treatment depression severity . People aged 18 - 67years with mild to moderate depression ( Patient Health Question naire-9 score of ≥10 ) participated in a single-blind , parallel r and omized control trial lasting 12-weeks ( Sweden 2011 - 2013 ) . Four treatment arms were included : treatment as usual ( TAU ) ( n=310 ) , light exercise ( yoga or similar n=106 ) , moderate exercise ( aerobic conditioning , n=105 ) and vigorous exercise ( aerobic conditioning , n=99 ) . Depression severity was measured at baseline and post-treatment using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) . Differences between the groups in depression severity at post-treatment were analysed using linear regression . Differences in exercise intensity were confirmed by heart rate monitoring . At post-treatment , the light ( -4.05 Confidence Interval (CI)=-5.94 , -2.17 ) , moderate ( -2.08 CI=-3.98 , -0.18 ) and vigorous exercise groups ( -3.13 CI=-5.07 , -1.19 ) had reduced their MADRS scores significantly more than TAU . No significant differences were found between the exercise groups , and no significant interaction effect was observed between group and gender . In conclusion , exercise , whether performed at a low ( yoga or similar ) , moderate or vigorous intensity ( aerobic training ) is effective in treating mild to moderate depression and is at least as effective as treatment as usual by a physician Background : The dem and for clinical ly efficacious , safe , patient acceptable , and cost-effective forms of treatment for mental illness is growing . Several studies have demonstrated benefit from yoga in specific psychiatric symptoms and a general sense of well-being . Objective : To systematic ally examine the evidence for efficacy of yoga in the treatment of selected major psychiatric disorders . Methods : Electronic search es of The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the st and ard bibliographic data bases , MEDLINE , EMBASE , and PsycINFO , were performed through April 2011 and an up date d in June 2011 using the keywords yoga AND psychiatry OR depression OR anxiety OR schizophrenia OR cognition OR memory OR attention AND r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) . Studies with yoga as the independent variable and one of the above mentioned terms as the dependent variable were included and exclusion criteria were applied . Results : The search yielded a total of 124 trials , of which 16 met rigorous criteria for the final review . Grade B evidence supporting a potential acute benefit for yoga exists in depression ( four RCTs ) , as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in schizophrenia ( three RCTs ) , in children with ADHD ( two RCTs ) , and Grade C evidence in sleep complaints ( three RCTs ) . RCTs in cognitive disorders and eating disorders yielded conflicting results . No studies looked at primary prevention , relapse prevention , or comparative effectiveness versus pharmacotherapy . Conclusion : There is emerging evidence from r and omized trials to support popular beliefs about yoga for depression , sleep disorders , and as an augmentation therapy . Limitations of literature include inability to do double-blind studies , multiplicity of comparisons within small studies , and lack of replication . Biomarker and neuroimaging studies , those comparing yoga with st and ard pharmaco- and psychotherapies , and studies of long-term efficacy are needed to fully translate the promise of yoga for enhancing mental health Background Conventional pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies for major depression are associated with limited adherence to care and relatively low remission rates . Yoga may offer an alternative treatment option , but rigorous studies are few . This r and omized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessors examined an 8-week hatha yoga intervention as mono-therapy for mild-to-moderate major depression . Methods Investigators recruited 38 adults in San Francisco meeting criteria for major depression of mild-to-moderate severity , per structured psychiatric interview and scores of 14–28 on Beck Depression Inventory-II ( BDI ) . At screening , individuals engaged in psychotherapy , antidepressant pharmacotherapy , herbal or nutraceutical mood therapies , or mind-body practice s were excluded . Participants were 68 % female , with mean age 43.4 years ( SD = 14.8 , range = 22–72 ) , and mean BDI score 22.4 ( SD = 4.5 ) . Twenty participants were r and omized to 90-minute hatha yoga practice groups twice weekly for 8 weeks . Eighteen participants were r and omized to 90-minute attention control education groups twice weekly for 8 weeks . Certified yoga instructors delivered both interventions at a university clinic . Primary outcome was depression severity , measured by BDI scores every 2 weeks from baseline to 8 weeks . Secondary outcomes were self-efficacy and self-esteem , measured by scores on the General Self-Efficacy Scale ( GSES ) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale ( RSES ) at baseline and at 8 weeks . Results In intent-to-treat analysis , yoga participants exhibited significantly greater 8-week decline in BDI scores  than controls ( p-value = 0.034 ) . In sub-analyses of participants completing final 8-week measures , yoga participants were more likely to achieve remission , defined per final BDI score ≤ 9 ( p-value = 0.018 ) . Effect size of yoga in reducing BDI scores was large , per Cohen ’s d = -0.96 [ 95%CI , -1.81 to -0.12 ] . Intervention groups did not differ significantly in 8-week change scores for either the GSES or RSES . Conclusion In adults with mild-to-moderate major depression , an 8-week hatha yoga intervention result ed in statistically and clinical ly significant reductions in depression severity . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of yoga ( physical activity ) versus social support ( verbal activity ) on prenatal and postpartum depression . Ninety-two prenatally depressed women were r and omly assigned to a yoga or a social support control group at 22 weeks gestation . The yoga group participated in a 20-min group session ( only physical poses ) once per week for 12 weeks . The social support group ( a leaderless discussion group ) met on the same schedule . At the end of the first and last sessions the yoga group reported less depression , anxiety , anger , back and leg pain as compared to the social support group . At the end of the last session the yoga group and the support group did not differ . They both had lower depression ( CES-D ) , anxiety ( STAI ) , and anger ( STAXI ) scores and improved relationship scores . In addition , cortisol levels decreased for both groups following each session . Estriol and progesterone levels decreased after the last session . At the postpartum follow-up assessment depression and anxiety levels were lower for both groups & NA ; A mounting body of literature recommends that treatment for fibromyalgia ( FM ) encompass medications , exercise and improvement of coping skills . However , there is a significant gap in determining an effective counterpart to pharmacotherapy that incorporates both exercise and coping . The aim of this r and omized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a comprehensive yoga intervention on FM symptoms and coping . A sample of 53 female FM patients were r and omized to the 8‐week Yoga of Awareness program ( gentle poses , meditation , breathing exercises , yoga‐based coping instructions , group discussion s ) or to wait‐listed st and ard care . Data were analyzed by intention to treat . At post‐treatment , women assigned to the yoga program showed significantly greater improvements on st and ardized measures of FM symptoms and functioning , including pain , fatigue , and mood , and in pain catastrophizing , acceptance , and other coping strategies . This pilot study provides promising support for the potential benefits of a yoga program for women with FM Previous research has shown positive effects of exercise on depression but studies have mainly focused on the short-term effects ; few have examined the long-term effect , especially with regard to differences in intensity . The aim of this study was to examine the long-term effects of prescribed exercise on depression , performed at three intensity levels . People aged 18 - 67years with mild to moderate depression ( Patient Health Question naire-9 score of ≥10 ) participated in a single-blind , parallel r and omized control trial lasting 12weeks ( Sweden 2011 - 2013 ) . Four arms were included : Treatment as usual ( TAU , n=310 ) , light ( n=106 ) , moderate ( n=105 ) and vigorous exercise ( n=99 ) . Severity of depression was measured at baseline , post-treatment and 12-month follow-up using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) . Coefficients ( β ) and odds ratios were estimated using linear mixed models with time × group interactions . The results showed that at the 12month follow-up the light exercise group had significantly lower depression severity scores than the TAU ( -1.9 , 95 % CI : -3.7 , -0.04 ) and the moderate exercise group ( -2.94 95 % CI : -5.2 , -0.7 ) . The vigorous exercise group had significantly lower scores than the moderate exercise group only ( -2.7 , 95 % CI : -4.9 , -0.4 ) . In conclusion , compared to usual care for depression ,  only light exercise result ed in significantly lower depression severity at 12-month follow-up . Both light and vigorous exercise was more effective than moderate exercise . TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered with the German Clinical Trial Register ( DRKS study ID : DRKS00008745 ) BACKGROUND : Over the last two decades very few advances have been made in the development of new treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD ) . While patients with OCD improve with available treatments ( pharmacotherapy and /or cognitive-behavioral therapy ) , moderate levels of OCD symptoms often persist even with adequate doses and duration s of these treatments . Building on the growing body of evidence for the efficacy of exercise in the treatment of other psychiatric disorders , interventions to increase aerobic exercise in patients with OCD represent a potentially useful yet relatively unexplored strategy in OCD . METHODS / DESIGN : One hundred and two ( 102 ) patients with clinical ly significant OCD symptoms despite current engagement in recommended treatments ( pharmacotherapy and /or CBT ) will be r and omly assigned to receive either a 12-week moderate intensity aerobic exercise ( AE ) intervention or a health education control ( HEC ) intervention . Follow-up interviews will be conducted at the end of treatment and at 3- , 6- and 12-months post-intervention . They will assess OCD severity , nonspecific anxiety , depression , quality of life , cardiorespiratory fitness and cognition ( executive function ) . DISCUSSION : If efficacy is established , patients with OCD who have clinical ly significant residual symptoms despite current pharmacotherapy or CBT would gain a valuable and practical treatment augmentation option Background : Although effective treatment of depressed patients requires regular follow-up contacts and symptom monitoring , an efficient method for assessing treatment outcome is lacking . We investigated responsiveness to treatment , reproducibility , and minimal clinical ly important difference of the  Patient Health Question naire-9 ( PHQ-9 )  , a st and ard instrument for diagnosing depression in primary care . Methods : This study included 434 intervention subjects from the IMPACT study , a multisite treatment trial of late-life depression ( 63 % female , mean age 71 years ) . Changes in  PHQ-9 scores over the course of time were evaluated with respect to change scores of the SCL-20 depression scale as well as 2 independent structured diagnostic interviews for depression during a 6-month period . Test-retest reliability and minimal clinical ly important difference were assessed in 2 subgroups of patients who completed the PHQ-9 twice exactly 7 days apart . Results : The PHQ-9 responsiveness as measured by effect size was significantly greater than the SCL-20 at 3 months ( −1.3 versus −0.9 ) and equivalent at 6 months ( −1.3 versus −1.2 ) . With respect to structured diagnostic interviews , both the PHQ-9 and the SCL-20 change scores accurately discriminated patients with persistent major depression , partial remission , and full remission . Test-retest reliability of the PHQ-9  was excellent , and its minimal clinical ly important difference for individual change , estimated as 2 st and ard errors of measurement , was 5 points on the 0 to 27 point PHQ-9 scale . Conclusions : Well-vali date d as a diagnostic measure , the PHQ-9 has now proven to be a responsive and reliable measure of depression treatment outcomes . Its responsiveness to treatment coupled with its brevity makes the PHQ-9 an attractive tool for gauging response to treatment in individual patient care as well as in clinical research Goal of workBreast cancer survivors have limited options for the treatment of hot flashes and related symptoms . Further , therapies widely used to prevent recurrence in survivors , such as tamoxifen , tend to induce or exacerbate menopausal symptoms . The aim of this preliminary , r and omized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a yoga intervention on menopausal symptoms in a sample of survivors of early-stage breast cancer ( stages IA – IIB ) . Material s and methods Thirty-seven disease-free women experiencing hot flashes were r and omized to the 8-week Yoga of Awareness program ( gentle yoga poses , meditation , and breathing exercises ) or to wait-list control . The primary outcome was daily reports of hot flashes collected at baseline , posttreatment , and 3 months after treatment via an interactive telephone system . Data were analyzed by intention to treat . Main results At posttreatment , women who received the yoga program showed significantly greater improvements relative to the control condition in hot-flash frequency , severity , and total scores and in levels of joint pain , fatigue , sleep disturbance , symptom-related bother , and vigor . At 3 months follow-up , patients maintained their treatment gains in hot flashes , joint pain , fatigue , symptom-related bother , and vigor and showed additional significant gains in negative mood , relaxation , and acceptance . Conclusions This pilot study provides promising support for the beneficial effects of a comprehensive yoga program for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms in early-stage breast cancer survivors OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a 12-week mindfulness-based yoga intervention on depressive symptoms and rumination among depressed women . DESIGN Prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled 12 week intervention pilot study . Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline , post-intervention ( 12 weeks ) , and one-month follow-up . SETTING Women with a history of diagnosed depression and currently depressed were r and omized to a mindfulness-based yoga condition or a walking control . INTERVENTIONS The mindfulness-based yoga intervention consisted of a home-based yoga asana , pranayama and meditation practice with mindfulness education sessions delivered over the telephone . The walking control condition consisted of home-based walking sessions and health education sessions delivered over the phone . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Beck Depression Inventory ( BDI ) and Ruminative Responses Scale ( RRS ) . RESULTS Both groups reported decreases in depressive symptoms from baseline to post-intervention , f(1,33)=34.83 , p<0.001 , and from baseline to one-month follow-up , f(1,33)=37.01 , p<0.001 . After controlling for baseline , there were no significant between group differences on depression scores at post-intervention and the one-month follow-up assessment . The mindfulness-based yoga condition reported significantly lower levels of rumination than the control condition at post-intervention , after controlling for baseline levels of rumination , f(1,31)=6.23 , p<0.01 . CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that mindfulness-based yoga may provide tools to manage ruminative thoughts among women with elevated depressive symptoms . Future studies , with larger sample s are needed to address the effect of yoga on depression and further explore the impact on rumination Comorbidity among affective disorders is high . Rumination has been found to mediate cross-sectional and prospect i ve relations between anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents and adults . We examined whether rumination and worry , both forms of repetitive negative thinking , also explain the associations between affective disorders . This was studied using a prospect i ve cohort study . In a mixed sample of 2981 adults ( persons with a prior history of or a current affective disorder and healthy individuals ) we assessed  DSM-IV affective disorders ( CIDI ) , rumination ( LEIDS-R ) and worry ( PSWQ ) . All measures were repeated 2 years and 4 years later . Using structural equation models , we found that baseline rumination and worry partly mediated the association of baseline fear disorders ( social anxiety disorder , panic disorder , agoraphobia ) with distress disorders ( dysthymia , major depressive disorder , generalized anxiety disorder ) . Moreover , baseline fear disorders predicted changes in distress disorders and changes in worry and rumination mediated these associations . The association between baseline distress disorders and changes in fear disorders was mediated by changes in rumination but not by changes in worry . From these results it can be concluded that repetitive negative thinking is an important transdiagnostic factor . Rumination and worry are partly responsible for the cross-sectional and prospect i ve co-occurrence of affective disorders and may be suitable targets for treatment Major depressive disorder ( MDD ) is a common , debilitating chronic condition in the United States and worldwide . Particularly in women , depressive symptoms are often accompanied by high levels of stress and ruminations , or repetitive self-critical negative thinking . There is a research and clinical imperative to evaluate complementary therapies that are acceptable and feasible for women with depression and that target specific aspects of depression in women , such as ruminations . To begin to address this need , we conducted a r and omized , controlled , mixed- methods community-based study comparing an 8-week yoga intervention with an attention-control activity in 27 women with MDD . After controlling for baseline stress , there was a decrease in depression over time in both the yoga group and the attention-control group , with the yoga group having a unique trend in decreased ruminations . Participants in the yoga group reported experiencing increased connectedness and gaining a coping strategy through yoga . The findings provide support for future large scale research to explore the effects of yoga for depressed women and the unique role of yoga in decreasing rumination Eighty-four prenatally depressed women were r and omly assigned to yoga , massage therapy or st and ard prenatal care control groups to determine the relative effects of yoga and massage therapy on prenatal depression and neonatal outcomes . Following 12 weeks of twice weekly yoga or massage therapy sessions ( 20 min each ) both therapy groups versus the control group had a greater decrease on depression , anxiety and back and leg pain scales and a greater increase on a relationship scale . In addition , the yoga and massage therapy groups did not differ on neonatal outcomes including gestational age and birthweight , and those groups , in turn , had greater gestational age and birthweight than the control group The implementation of yogic practice s has proven benefits in both organic and psychological diseases . Forty-five women with anxiety selected by a r and om sampling method were divided into three groups . Experimental group I was subjected to asanas , relaxation and pranayama while Experimental group II was subjected to an integrated yoga module . The control group did not receive any intervention . Anxiety was measured by Taylor 's Manifest Anxiety Scale before and after treatment . Frustration was measured through Reaction to Frustration Scale . All data were spread in an Excel sheet to be analysed with SPSS 16 software using analysis of covariance ( ANCOVA ) . Selected yoga and asanas decreased anxiety and frustration scores but treatment with an integrated yoga module result ed in significant reduction of anxiety and frustration . To conclude , the practice of asanas and yoga decreased  anxiety in women , and yoga as an integrated module significantly improved anxiety  scores in young women with proven anxiety without any ill effects
target: With this caveat in mind , the results of the current meta- analysis suggest that hatha yoga does not have effects on acute , chronic and /or treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders compared to treatment as usual or active control groups .
  However , when compared to psychoeducation , hatha yoga showed more reductions in depression .
background: BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to systematic ally investigate the effectiveness of hatha yoga in treating acute , chronic and /or treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders .