Effects of VAJ Yoga on Mental Health via Psychological, Electrophysiological, and Biochemical indices in Patients having Depression

Abstract VAJ Yoga (VY) is a multifaceted practice combining Vat Pranayama, Asanas, and Jeevan Dayi Shrestha or Raj Yoga and attributes speed, power, and transcendence, reflecting the practice’s blend of physical and spiritual elements. This study assessed the impact of VAJ-Yoga on depression patients via psychological, electrophysiological, and biochemical markers. We included 612 clinically diagnosed depression patients with a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score ≥ 20 (aged 18–80) visiting a university neuroscience clinic (January 2020-December 2024) and further randomly selected some consenting patients, and guided them to practice VAJ-Yoga sessions (called as VAJ-Yoga group), and some patients did not practice these sessions and acted as a non-VAJ yoga control group. The 12-week VAJ-Yoga sessions included daily 60-minute morning sessions. The treatment plan prescribed for depression remained the same across both groups, and no modifications were made in the same. Baseline and post-VAJ-Yoga session assessments included the psychometric instruments HAM-D and DASS-42 for depression/anxiety/stress, the OHQ scale for well-being, the NHS EQ, the SISRI-24 scales for spiritual quotient, and the WAIS-IV scores for IQ/digit span. We also assessed 16-channel EEG signals (from the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes) and studied the serum serotonin and dopamine concentrations via HPLC, both at Baseline and post-VAJ-Yoga sessions in the VAJ-Yoga group as well as in controls. The VAJ-Yoga group showed significant improvements in HAM-D, DASS-42, OHQ, EQ, and SQ scores after 12 weeks, whereas full-scale EQ & IQ remained the same (although the digit span subtest improved, suggesting enhanced working memory). Alpha and Theta activities in the EEG results increased in the VAJ-Yoga group as compared to baseline values and the control group; moreover, Beta and Delta activities significantly decreased in the VAJ-Yoga group, post-Yoga sessions. Biochemically, post-Yoga session values of the VAJ-Yoga group had significantly elevated serotonin and dopamine levels. Thus, VAJ-Yoga improved neurophysiology, mood, and overall health in depression patients, exhibiting its effective role as an adjunct behavioral therapy for depression.