Efficacy of adjunctive Yoga Nidra in patients with functional dissociative seizures receiving structured psychoeducation (YOGA-FDS): a pilot randomised controlled trial.
Saranya B Gomathy, Sandhya Sharma, Gautam Sharma, Ashima Nehra, Pratap Sharan, Mani Kalaivani, Deepti Vibha, Rajesh K Singh, Arumozhimaran Elavarasi, Manjari Tripathi
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B July 5, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2026.111180 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Open-label, randomised controlled pilot trial Randomized Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Patients with functional dissociative seizures aged 13 years or older |
| Duration | 6 months |
| Keywords | Antiseizure medications Functional dissociative seizures Psychoeducation Video-EEG Yoga nidra |
| Key findings | Adjunctive Yoga Nidra did not significantly reduce monthly FDS frequency compared with sham Yoga Nidra, both groups showing similar improvement at 6 months. |
Abstract
Functional dissociative seizures (FDS) are paroxysmal seizure-like events with no electrographic abnormalities. Structured psychoeducation is considered a standard component of FDS management. Yoga Nidra (YN) is a guided meditative relaxation technique that has shown benefit in other neuropsychiatric conditions, but its adjunctive role in FDS has not been studied. To evaluate whether adjunctive YN provides additional benefit over structured brief psychoeducation alone in reducing monthly FDS frequency. This open-label, randomised controlled pilot trial enrolled 50 FDS patients aged ≥13 years, randomised 1:1 to receive brief psychoeducation plus YN (n = 25) or brief psychoeducation plus sham YN (n = 25). All participants received structured psychoeducation; the intervention group additionally practised standardised audio-guided YN. The primary outcome was the change in monthly FDS frequency. Secondary outcomes included 6-month FDS episode count, seizure freedom duration, HAM-A, HAM-D, WSAS, and QOLIE-31 scores. Outcomes were assessed at 6 months by a blinded evaluator. Between January 2021 and February 2022, 72 patients were screened, and 22 were excluded. Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive brief psychoeducation plus YN (n = 25) or brief psychoeducation plus sham YN (n = 25), of whom primary outcome data were available for 48 patients at 6 months (23 patients in the brief psychoeducation plus YN group and 25 in the brief psychoeducation plus sham YN group). Median monthly FDS frequency reduced from 6 (IQR 2.5-45) to 0.5 (0-1) in the brief psychoeducation plus YN group and from 7 (3.5-45) to 0.5 (01.7) in the sham group; between-group difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.88). Both groups demonstrated substantial clinical improvement during follow-up in seizure frequency, mood symptoms, functioning and quality of life; however, adjunctive YN did not provide measurable additional benefit over the control condition. Larger studies are needed to clarify the role of adjunctive YN in the management of functional dissociative seizures.