A Study to Evaluate Role of Integrative Yoga-based Interventions on Cognitive and Autonomic Functions among Major Depressive Disorder

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD), commonly known as clinical depression, is a mental health disease that causes chronic sadness and a loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities and associated with significant impairments in cognitive and autonomic functions, which often persist even after mood symptoms improve. Aim: This study investigated the effects of a 6-month combined yoga and dietary intervention on cognitive performance, autonomic regulation, and depressive symptoms in individuals with MDD. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 178 participants with MDD (aged 20–50 years) were assigned to either a combined yoga and dietary intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The intervention group participated in yoga for 60 min 4 days in a week over a period of 6 months and a diet chart was given to them. Outcome measures included depression severity (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), cognitive function (subjective and objective assessment), autonomic function (heart rate variability, blood pressure), assessments were conducted at baseline and 6 months, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in Hamilton score for depression ( P < 0.001), food frequency questionnaire ( P < 0.001), Montreal cognitive assessment score ( P < 0.001), mini–mental status examination score ( P < 0.001), P300 latency ( P < 0.001), P300 Amplitude ( P < 0.001), low frequency ( P < 0.001), high frequency ( P < 0.001), low/high frequency ( P < 0.001), root mean square standard deviation (SD) ( P < 0.001), SD of NN interval ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: A 6-month combined yoga and nutrition intervention improved cognitive performance, autonomic regulation, and depressive symptoms significantly in the study group. These findings imply that this integrative strategy could be a helpful addition to normal MDD care, perhaps addressing the disorder’s multidimensional nature. More research is needed to understand the long-term consequences and mechanisms that underpin these benefits.