Scientists from the Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Hospital say that depression and anxiety disorders are associated with low GABA levels, and are currently treated with pharmaceutical agents designed to increase GABA levels. Lead author Dr. Chris Streeter used magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to compare the GABA levels of eight subjects prior to and following one hour of yoga with the GABA levels of 11 subjects who did no yoga and read for one hour.

The study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, found a 27 percent increase in GABA levels in the yoga group after their session, but no change in the comparison subject group after their reading session.