Add-on yoga therapy for social cognition in schizophrenia: A pilot study

Background: Yoga as a mind-body therapy is useful in lifestyle-related disorders including neuropsychiatric disorders. In schizophrenia patients, yoga has been shown to significantly improve negative symptoms, functioning, and plasma oxytocin level. Aim: The aim of the study was to study the effect of add-on yoga therapy on social cognition in schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: In a single pre-post, study design, 15 schizophrenia patients stabilized on antipsychotic medication for 6 weeks were assessed for social cognition (theory of mind, facial emotion recognition, and social perception [SP]) and clinical symptoms (negative and positive symptoms and social disability) before and after twenty sessions of add-on yoga therapy. Results: There was a significant improvement in the social cognition composite score after 20 sessions of yoga (t[13] = −5.37, P≤ 0.001). Clinical symptoms also reduced significantly after twenty sessions of yoga. Conclusion: Results are promising to integrate yoga in clinical practice, if proven in well-controlled clinical trials.