Evidence-Based Research in Neuroscience of Yoga: Quality, Ethics, and Integrity Perspectives

Yoga is an evidence-based scientific tool in the field of complementary and alternative medicine for various neuro-psycho-physiological disorders. Research in Yoga-based interventions and neurosciences remains exciting, especially during the recent COVID-19 to show how a simple, safe, and cost-effective technique might rewire our brain cells to enhance psychoneuroimmunity. To date, various Yoga-meditation practices involve different neural circuits shown by advanced neuroimaging techniques and were constrained by some ethical and methodological challenges in terms of study designs, analysis of data, heterogeneity of Yoga intervention, etc. that have affected the quality of research studies. On this basis, a few neurophysiological models of yoga-meditation have been proposed but not fully elucidated. Now, neurosciences researchers should try to find insight into the neural mechanisms to understand how human evolution occurs with the consistent use of a Yoga-based lifestyle intervention that nurtures brain plasticity to overcome various psychophysiological illnesses. This will support researchers in developing standardized Yoga protocols for various neurological disorders, as well as for the general health and fitness of individuals. For this, the neuroethical and methodological issues should be considered to maintain integrity in the field of neuroscience research.