B.N.GANGADHAR
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Science, Bangalore, India
bng@nimhans.kar.nic.in

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Abstract

Yoga has been practiced in our country from time immemorial as part of life style. Experiential accounts abound stressing the benefits from yoga. Both physical and mental health are supported by yoga. In the recent years medical fraternity has chosen to research on the therapeutic role of yoga in selected disorders. Among mental disorders, yoga is emerging as a potent therapeutic tool. General mental disorders like anxiety, alcoholism, depression, schizophrenia OCD and behavioral disorders in childhood have been treated by yoga procedures such as pranayama, asanas or a combination with reasonable success. However, contemporary research design to demonstrate evidence- base for any treatment has standards that pose serious challenge in yoga research. Two issues are relevant, patient / doctor blinding, and the ideal placebo / control treatment. There is a urgent need to evolve a consensus on these issues. Little is known about the adverse effects of yoga. So also the interaction with ongoing medical treatment is unknown. Tailoring yoga procedures to a given diagnostic indication is yet another challenge that yoga researchers must consider as a priority.