Reducing Allostatic Load in Depression and Anxiety Disorders: Physical Activity and Yoga Practice as Add-On Therapies

D' ALESSIO, LUCIANA; KORMAN, GUIDO PABLO; SARUDIANSKY, MERCEDES; GUELMAN, LAURA RUTH; SCÉVOLA, LAURA; PASTORE, ALEJANDRA; OBREGÓN, AMILCAR; ROLDÁN, EMILIO J. A.

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Frontiers

Año: 2020 vol. 11

The allostatic load (AL) index constitutes a useful tool to objectively assess the biologicalaspects of chronic stress in clinical practice. AL index has been positively correlated withcumulative chronic stress (physical and psychosocial stressors) and with a high risk todevelop pathological conditions (e.g., metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular pathology,inflammatory disorders) and the so-called stress-related psychiatric disorders, includinganxiety and depressive disorders. Chronic stress has negative effects on brainneuroplasticity, especially on hippocampal neurogenesis and these effects may bereversed by antidepressant treatments. Several evidences indicate that nonpharmacologicalinterventions based on physical activity and yoga practice may addsynergizing benefits to classical treatments (antidepressant and benzodiazepines) fordepression and anxiety, reducing the negative effects of chronic stress. The aim of thisreview is to provide a general overview of current knowledge on AL and chronic stress inrelation to depression and anxiety, physical activity and yoga practice.