Bridging the schism of schizophrenia through yoga-Review of putative mechanisms.
Urvakhsh Meherwan Mehta, Matcheri S Keshavan, Bangalore N Gangadhar
International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England) June 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2016.1176905 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSchizophrenia involves disconnection at neural, mental, and social levels, leading to poor quality of life due to cognitive deficits and negative symptoms that resist standard antipsychotics. Yoga may improve quality of life by targeting these symptoms. This paper proposes a model integrating neuroscience evidence: meditation styles may strengthen prefrontal brain networks, improving neurocognition and mentalizing; coordinated physical postures with a teacher may enhance social cognition and empathy via the mirror neuron system. Oxytocin is suggested as a mediator for social connectedness. The model offers clinical and heuristic implications.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Yoga Connectopathy Mechanism of action Mirror neurons Psychosis |
| Key finding | Proposes that yoga improves cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia by strengthening prefrontal networks through meditation and enhancing social cognition via mirror neuron system activation through coordinated postures. |
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients experience a 'disconnect' at multiple levels-neuronal networks, mental processes, and interpersonal relationships. The resultant poor quality-of-life and functional disability are related to the persistent cognitive deficits and negative symptoms, which are rather resistant to conventional antipsychotic medications. Yoga has emerged as an important therapeutic intervention to improve quality-of-life in schizophrenia. Recent preliminary evidence suggests that effects of yoga on cognitive and negative symptoms may drive this benefit. This study attempts to integrate evidence from neuroscience-based research, which focuses on the neuroplasticity-harnessing effects of yoga to bridge the schizophrenia connectopathy. In an overarching model to study putative neurobiological mechanisms that drive therapeutic effects of yoga, it is proposed that (a) various styles of meditation may help in strengthening the lateral and medial prefrontal brain networks, thus improving neurocognition and mentalizing abilities, and (b) learning and performing co-ordinated physical postures with a teacher facilitates imitation and the process of being imitated, which can improve social cognition and empathy through reinforcement of the premotor and parietal mirror neuron system. Oxytocin may play a role in mediating these processes, leading to better social connectedness and social outcomes. Clinical and heuristic implications of this model are further discussed.