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PubMed2006

Yoga and the battlefield of ethics: highlighting an infusion model for ethics education.

This paper articulates an infusion model of ethics education for engineering students by illuminating the value of a religious studies course on yoga. This model is distinguished from four other possible approaches that have traditionally been used to prepare engineering students to face the challenges of the work place. The article is not claiming that this approach should be used to the exclusion of the other approaches, but rather that it adds strength to the other approaches. Specifically, the article claims that the infusion model provides an opportunity for students to reflect upon the foundational ethical positions emanating from the world's religions and thereby provides them with a vista from which they can not only ask what professional ethical code applies in a given situation, but also ponder the nature of character needed to follow that ethical code.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1990

Effect of yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) on airway reactivity in subjects with asthma.

The effects of two pranayama yoga breathing exercises on airway reactivity, airway calibre, symptom scores, and medication use in patients with mild asthma were assessed in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. After baseline assessment over 1 week, 18 patients with mild asthma practised slow deep breathing for 15 min twice a day for two consecutive 2-week periods. During the active period, subjects were asked to breathe through a Pink City lung (PCL) exerciser--a device which imposes slowing of breathing and a 1:2 inspiration:expiration duration ratio equivalent to pranayama breathing methods; during the control period, subjects breathed through a matched placebo device. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rate, symptom score, and inhaler use over the last 3 days of each treatment period were assessed in comparison with the baseline assessment period; all improved more with the PCL exerciser than with the placebo device, but the differences were not significant. There was a statistically significant increase in the dose of histamine needed to provoke a 20% reduction in FEV1 (PD20) during pranayama breathing but not with the placebo device. The usefulness of controlled ventilation exercises in the control of asthma should be further investigated.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Autonomic changes in Brahmakumaris Raja yoga meditation.

This report presents the changes in various autonomic and respiratory variables during the practice of Brahmakumaris Raja yoga meditation. This practice requires considerable commitment and involves concentrated thinking. 18 males in the age range of 20 to 52 years (mean 34.1 +/- 8.1), with 5-25 years experience in mediation (mean 10.1 +/- 6.2), participated in the study. Each subject was assessed in three test sessions which included a period of meditation, and also in three control (non-mediation) sessions, which included a period of random thinking. Group analysis showed that the heart rate during the meditation period was increased compared to the preceding baseline period, as well as compared to the value during the non-meditation period of control sessions. In contrast to the change in the heart rate, there was no significant change during meditation, for the group as a whole, in palmar GSR, finger plethysmogram amplitude, and respiratory rate. On an individual basis, changes which met the following criteria were noted: (1), changes which were greater during meditation (compared to its preceding baseline) than changes during post meditation or non-meditation periods (also compared to their preceding baseline); (2), Changes which occurred consistently during the three repeat sessions of a subject and (3), changes which exceeded arbitrarily-chosen cut-off points (described at length below). This individual level analysis revealed that changes in autonomic variables suggestive of both activation and relaxation occurred simultaneously in different subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system in a subject. Apart from this, there were differences in patterns of change among the subjects who practised the same meditation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biological significance of piezoelectricity in relation to acupuncture, Hatha Yoga, osteopathic medicine and action of air ions.

Piezoelectric properties of biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and mucopolysaccharides are reviewed in this paper. It is indicated that the structural elements of the human body composed of these piezoelectric substances are capable of transducing a mechanical energy into an electric current. Such a transduction may be brought about by movements of an acupuncture needle, osteopathic manipulations; Hatha Yoga postures or action of negatively charged air irons. It is postulated that electric current induced by stimulation of the specific sites on the surface of human body flows towards the internal organs along the semiconductive channels of biologic macromolecules. Electric current induced either by the piezoelectric transduction or directly applied from an external source may in turn stimulate individual cells in the target organ. Involvement of electrical phenomena in regulatory mechanisms on cellular and molecular levels is discussed.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1990

Seasonal affective disorder and the yoga paradigm: a reconsideration of the role of the pineal gland.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a psychiatric disorder whose pathophysiology and clinical presentation are poorly understood. By applying the ancient paradigm of yoga psychology to this subject, new understandings of the syndrome emerge regarding the possible role of the pineal gland, the clinical presentation of the syndrome, and the possible mechanism of action of phototherapy. The energy depletion model presented here ties together such diverse elements as: dose-response aspects of phototherapy, anergia as a primary symptom of SAD, 'spring fever', myofascial pain disorder, the anti-gonadotrophic effect of melatonin, and pineal supersensitivity in bipolar patients. Clinical predictions are made, and simple research protocols are suggested which can directly test the hypotheses generated by this paradigm.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Antidepressant efficacy and hormonal effects of Sudarshana Kriya Yoga (SKY) in alcohol dependent individuals.

BACKGROUND: Sudarshana Kriya Yoga (SKY) has demonstrable antidepressant effects. SKY was tested for this effect in inpatients of alcohol dependence. METHODS: Following a week of detoxification management consenting subjects (n=60) were equally randomized to receive SKY therapy or not (controls) for a two-week study. SKY therapy included alternate day practice of specified breathing exercise under supervision of a trained therapist. Subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) before and after the two weeks of this intervention. Morning plasma cortisol, ACTH and prolactin too were measured before and at the end of two weeks. RESULTS: In both groups reductions in BDI scores occurred but significantly more so in SKY group. Likewise, in both groups plasma cortisol as well as ACTH fell after two weeks but significantly more so in SKY group. Reduction in BDI scores correlated with that in cortisol in SKY but not in control group. LIMITATIONS: Antidepressant effects of SKY were demonstrated in early abstinence that also had substantial spontaneous improvement. It is not known if this effect contributes to sustained abstinence. CONCLUSION: Results extend the antidepressant effects of SKY in alcohol dependence subjects. Reduction in stress-hormone levels (cortisol and ACTH) along with BDI reductions possibly support a biological mechanism of SKY in producing beneficial effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Yoga: an adjunct to infertility treatment.

Yoga and meditation can help women experiencing the challenges of infertility. The practice of meditation and relaxation can help increase the clarity of the mind, maintain healthy body chemistry, and give patients the patience to undergo the rigors of infertility treatments. When one understands and can attain physical relaxation, one tends to feel better about the body itself, and begins to treat the body with more respect. This understanding can lead to healthier lifestyle habits as well as increased sensitivity regarding symptoms and body processes. This is beneficial to both doctor and patient as the patient can report with more clarity and sense cycles and physical issues more readily.

Exercise↗
PubMed1998

P300 amplitude and antidepressant response to Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY).

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) has significant antidepressant effects. OBJECTIVE: The present study examined whether pretreatment P300 ERP amplitude predicts antidepressant response to SKY. METHODS: Consenting, drug-free depressed patients (n = 30; dysthymics, 15, melancholics, 15) who received SKY as the sole treatment were assessed clinically at pretreatment, 1 month and 3 months. Auditory P300 was recorded before treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients responded favourably to SKY. The pretreatment P300 amplitude neither distinguished responders and non-responders nor was associated with differential rates of response. DISCUSSION: It is concluded that SKY therapy is uniformly effective regardless of the pretreatment P300 amplitude.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine.

BACKGROUND: Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a procedure that involves essentially rhythmic hyperventilation at different rates of breathing. The antidepressant efficacy of SKY was demonstrated in dysthymia in a prospective, open clinical trial. This study compared the relative antidepressant efficacy of SKY in melancholia with two of the current standard treatments, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine (IMN). METHODS: Consenting, untreated melancholic depressives (n=45) were hospitalized and randomized equally into three treatment groups. They were assessed at recruitment and weekly thereafter for four weeks. RESULTS: Significant reductions in the total scores on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) occurred on successive occasions in all three groups. The groups, however, did not differ. Significant interaction between the groups and occasion of assessment occurred. At week three, the SKY group had higher scores than the ECT group but was not different from the IMN group. Remission (total HRSD score of seven or less) rates at the end of the trial were 93, 73 and 67% in the ECT, IMN and SKY groups, respectively. No clinically significant side effects were observed. DISCUSSION: Within the limitations of the design (lack of double blind conditions), it can be concluded that, although inferior to ECT, SKY can be a potential alternative to drugs in melancholia as a first line treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Yoga for epilepsy: methodological issues.

This article deals with the methodological issues that might be encountered in designing and conducting a randomized controlled study of the efficacy of yoga in the treatment of epilepsy. Methodological issues relating to patient selection, randomization, blinding, type of intervention, outcome measures and analysis are highlighted.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2006

Changes in p300 following two yoga-based relaxation techniques.

Cyclic meditation (CM) is a technique that combines "stimulating" and "calming" practices, based on a statement in ancient yoga texts suggesting that such a combination may be especially helpful to reach a state of mental equilibrium. The changes in the peak latency and peak amplitude of P300 auditory event-related potentials were studied before and after the practice of cyclic meditation compared to an equal duration of supine rest in 42 volunteers (group mean age +/- SD, 27 +/- 6.3 years), from Fz, Cz, and Pz electrode sites referenced to linked earlobes. The sessions were one day apart and the order was alternated. There was reduction in the peak latencies of P300 after cyclic meditation at Fz, Cz, and Pz compared to the "pre" values. A similar trend of reduction in P300 peak latencies at Fz, Cz, and Pz was also observed after supine rest, compared to the respective "pre" values, although the magnitude of change in each case was less after supine rest compared to after cyclic meditation. The P300 peak amplitudes after CM were higher at Fz, Cz, and Pz sites compared to the "pre" values. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in the P300 peak amplitudes at Fz, Cz, and Pz after supine rest compared to the respective "pre" state. The present results support the idea that "cyclic" meditation enhances cognitive processes underlying the generation of the P300.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Stress management: a randomized study of cognitive behavioural therapy and yoga.

In this study, a stress management program based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles was compared with a Kundaliniyoga program. A study sample of 26 women and 7 men from a large Swedish company were divided randomly into 2 groups for each of the different forms of intervention; a total of 4 groups. The groups were instructed by trained group leaders and 10 sessions were held with each of groups, over a period of 4 months. Psychological (self-rated stress and stress behaviour, anger, exhaustion, quality of life) and physiological (blood pressure, heart rate, urinary catecholamines, salivary cortisol) measurements obtained before and after treatment showed significant improvements on most of the variables in both groups as well as medium-to-high effect sizes. However, no significant difference was found between the 2 programs. The results indicate that both cognitive behaviour therapy and yoga are promising stress management techniques.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed2006

A pilot study of a yoga meditation protocol for patients with medically refractory epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the efficacy of a yoga meditation protocol (YMP) as an adjunctive treatment in patients with drug-resistant chronic epilepsy. DESIGN: The design was a prospective, nonrandomized, open-label, add-on trial with a 12-week baseline period, followed by a 12-week supervised YMP administration phase. The frequency of complex partial seizures (CPS) was assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months of the treatment period. SETTING: The setting was a comprehensive epilepsy care center attached to a tertiary referral medical institution situated on the southwest coast of the Indian peninsula. SUBJECTS: The subjects were 20 patients (14 males and 6 females, age range 15 to 47 years, median 27 years) with unequivocally established diagnoses of epilepsy with at least 4 CPS (with or without secondary generalization) during the preceding 3 months. INTERVENTION: Intervention consisted of a YMP 20 minutes twice daily (mornings and evenings) at home, and supervised sessions of a YMP every week for 3 months. Continuation of the YMP beyond 3 months was optional. OUTCOME MEASURE: The outcome measure was the seizure frequency at 3, 6, and 12 months of the treatment period. The subjects with > or = 50% reduction in monthly seizure rate from baseline were classified as responders, and subjects with <50% seizure reduction as nonresponders. RESULTS: At 3 months, a reduction in seizure frequency was noted in all except 1 patient, six of whom had > or = 50% seizure reduction. Of 16 patients who continued the YMP beyond 3 months, 14 patients responded at 6 months; 6 of them were seizure-free for 3 months. All eight patients who continued the YMP beyond 6 months responded; three of them were seizure free for 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: If confirmed through randomized trials involving a larger number of patients, this YMP may become a cost-effective and adverse effect-free adjunctive treatment in patients with drug-resistant epilepsies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Yoga neuropathy. A snoozer.

Sciatic nerve compression very rarely occurs bilaterally. The authors present a woman with profound lower extremity weakness and sensory abnormality after falling asleep in the head-to-knees yoga position (also called "Paschimottanasana"). Clinical and electrodiagnostic findings are discussed in detail and a brief review of the literature is presented.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether rhythmic formulas such as the rosary and yoga mantras can synchronise and reinforce inherent cardiovascular rhythms and modify baroreflex sensitivity. DESIGN: Comparison of effects of recitation of the Ave Maria (in Latin) or of a mantra, during spontaneous and metronome controlled breathing, on breathing rate and on spontaneous oscillations in RR interval, and on blood pressure and cerebral circulation. SETTING: Florence and Pavia, Italy. PARTICIPANTS: 23 healthy adults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Breathing rate, regularity of breathing, baroreflex sensitivity, frequency of cardiovascular oscillations. RESULTS: Both prayer and mantra caused striking, powerful, and synchronous increases in existing cardiovascular rhythms when recited six times a minute. Baroreflex sensitivity also increased significantly, from 9.5 (SD 4.6) to 11.5 (4.9) ms/mm Hg, P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Rhythm formulas that involve breathing at six breaths per minute induce favourable psychological and possibly physiological effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Therapeutic processes in a Yoga Ashram.

Although communal and new religious groups are said to provide quasi-therapeutic experiences for relatively healthy individuals in our society, there is little information about how this occurs. This study examines the lifestyle and social structure of a yoga ashram and describes how they facilitate processes where residents learn to release and prevent stress in their lives.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Patient perspectives: Kundalini yoga meditation techniques for psycho-oncology and as potential therapies for cancer.

The ancient system of Kundalini Yoga (KY) includes a vast array of meditation techniques. Some were discovered to be specific for treating psychiatric disorders and others are supposedly beneficial for treating cancers. To date, 2 clinical trials have been conducted for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The first was an open uncontrolled trial and the second a single-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing a KY protocol against the Relaxation Response and Mindfulness Meditation (RRMM) techniques combined. Both trials showed efficacy on all psychological scales using the KY protocol; however, the RCT showed no efficacy on any scale with the RRMM control group. The KY protocol employed an OCD-specific meditation technique combined with other techniques that are individually specific for anxiety, low energy, fear, anger, meeting mental challenges, and turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts. In addition to OCD symptoms, other symptoms, including anxiety and depression, were also significantly reduced. Elements of the KY protocol other than the OCD-specific technique also may have applications for psycho-oncology patients and are described here. Two depression-specific KY techniques are described that also help combat mental fatigue and low energy. A 7-part protocol is described that would be used in KY practice to affect the full spectrum of emotions and distress that complicate a cancer diagnosis. In addition, there are KY techniques that practitioners have used in treating cancer. These techniques have not yet been subjected to formal clinical trials but are described here as potential adjunctive therapies. A case history demonstrating rapid onset of acute relief of intense fear in a terminal breast cancer patient using a KY technique specific for fear is presented. A second case history is reported for a surviving male diagnosed in 1988 with terminal prostate cancer who has used KY therapy long term as part of a self-directed integrative care approach.

Adult↗