The effects of yoga on depression and motor function in patients with Parkinson's disease: A review of controlled studies

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative/neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by both motor and non-motor symptomology. The reported prevalence of depression in patients with PD is difficult to ascertain due to overlapping somatic symptoms and failure to self-report symptoms. Although antidepressants remain a first-line treatment, they can have adverse effects. Recently, literature has demonstrated that due to its anti-inflammatory properties, yoga may be an effective nonpharmacologic therapy for depression. METHODS: A search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2000 to January 2019 that assessed the effects of yoga on depression and motor functioning in PD. RESULTS: Three studies met the criteria for inclusion. In one RCT, biweekly yoga resulted in a decrease in depression score (P = .056). In another RCT, weekly yoga resulted in a significant decrease in depression and demonstrated that its therapeutic effects are long-lasting. Finally, in a third RCT, no significant difference was found between control and experimental groups in depression after biweekly yoga. However, yoga was found to be protective against worsening of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our review suggests that the practice of yoga may be a useful nonpharmacologic adjunctive treatment for depression in patients with PD. However, more controlled RCTs are needed to validate our conclusions.