Yoga in Neurological Disorders

Yoga, an ancient mind-body discipline encompassing Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breath regulation), and Dhyana (meditation), has gained substantial interest as a complementary therapeutic modality in neurology. Emerging evidence from clinical and neurophysiological studies suggests that Yoga may positively influence a range of neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and peripheral neuropathy. Reported benefits include improvements in motor coordination, cognitive performance, affective regulation, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life. Mechanistically, Yoga is proposed to enhance neuroplasticity, modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increase levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and induce neuroanatomical changes, particularly in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and insular regions. This review synthesizes current findings to support the incorporation of Yoga as an adjunctive therapy in neurorehabilitation. Nonetheless, large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate its efficacy, establish standardized intervention protocols, and elucidate precise neurobiological mechanisms.