Yoga for psychiatric disorders: from fad to evidence-based intervention?

There is growing evidence for yoga's neurobiological effects in people with psychiatric disorders. Postulated mechanisms of action include: (a) modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; (b) enhancement of GABAergic neurotransmission; (c) autonomic modulation; and (d) neuroendocrinological effects. Yoga as a therapeutic intervention in psychiatric disorders appears promising and merits further attention in clinical practice and research.