Yoga therapy for social cognition in schizophrenia: An experimental medicine-based randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Negative symptoms and cognitive deficits are difficult-to-treat symptoms of schizophrenia. In this single blind randomized controlled study, we compared change in social cognitive performance in persons with Schizophrenia (PWS) (as per DSM-5), after 6 weeks of yoga intervention with a waitlist control group. We also examined changes in putative Mirror Neuron System (MNS) activity measured by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in a subset of sample (n = 30). 51 PWS stabilized on antipsychotic medication for at least 6 weeks, were assigned to add-on yoga therapy (YT) (n = 26) or waitlist (WL) (n = 25). Subjects in the YT group received add-on yoga therapy (20 sessions in 6 weeks). Both the groups continued their standard treatment and were assessed at baseline and after 6 weeks for social cognition, clinical symptoms and social disability. RM-ANOVA showed significant interaction between time and group for social cognition composite score (SCCS) (F = 42.09 [1,44], P < 0.001); negative symptoms (SANS) (F = 74.91 [1,45], P < 0.001); positive symptoms (SAPS) (F = 16.05 [1,45], P < 0.001) and social disability (GSDS) (F = 29.91 [1,46], P < 0.001). MNS activity had increased after 6 weeks in both groups but not of statistical significance. This study demonstrates that 6 weeks of add-on yoga therapy could improve social cognition in PWS compared to waitlist control subjects. However, the change in social cognition was not associated with a change in the putative MNS-activity. It…
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Existing studies indicate that adjunctive yoga therapy for persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders can enhance social cognition.
“While research exploring the relationship between yoga and cognition in SSD remains nascent, existing studies indicate that adjunctive yoga therapy for persons with SSD can enhance social cognition.65”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Govindaraj, R., Naik, S. S., Mehta, U. M., Sharma, M., Varambally, S., & Gangadhar, B. N.
- Affiliations
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IN)
- Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Govindaraj, Ramajayam
- Venue
- Asian Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-08
- Volume
- 62
- Pages
- 102731
- ISSN
- 1876-2018 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3168892415
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 3.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Asian Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- The Wellcome Trust DBT India Alliance (IA/CPHI/15/1/502026, IA/E/12/1/500755)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Keywords
- yoga therapy, schizophrenia, social cognition, negative symptoms, mirror neuron system, transcranial magnetic stimulation, social dysfunction, cognitive impairment, adjunctive therapy, positive symptoms
- MeSH terms
- Social Cognition, Cognition, Humans, Schizophrenia, Yoga, Single-Blind Method, Treatment Outcome, Biomedical Research
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