Effects of practicing yoga on alexisomia: an open-label trial.
Alexisomia
Alexithymia
STSS
Shitsu-taikan-sho
TAS-20
Yoga
Journal
BioPsychoSocial medicine
ISSN: 1751-0759
Titre abrégé: Biopsychosoc Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101286572
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
03 Jun 2022
03 Jun 2022
Historique:
received:
30
09
2021
accepted:
19
05
2022
entrez:
6
6
2022
pubmed:
7
6
2022
medline:
7
6
2022
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Alexisomia refers to difficulties in the awareness and expression of somatic feelings. This idea was proposed by Dr. Yujiro Ikemi as a characteristic observed in patients with psychosomatic diseases and is based on his observations that patients with psychosomatic diseases have difficulty in the awareness and expression of not only their emotions, i.e., alexithymia, but also somatic feelings and sensations, i.e., alexisomia. He also proposed that treating alexisomia is important in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases and that yoga might help improve alexisomia. However, no study has investigated if yoga actually affects alexisomia. This open-label pilot study investigated whether practicing yoga in a class results in change in patients with alexisomia and alexithymia. The Shitsu-taikan-sho Scale (STSS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were administered to 305 participants, including 64 healthy participants, 111 participants who had subjective symptoms without abnormal findings, and 130 participants with chronic diseases. Participants were tested before and 3 months after attending yoga classes. Yoga practice reduced the STSS and the TAS-20 difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) subscale scores. Multiple linear regression indicated that a reduction in the TAS-20 DIF subscale scores predicted a decrease in the STSS score, whereas reductions in the STSS difficulty in identifying bodily feelings (DIB) and the lack of health management based on bodily feelings (LHM) subscale scores predicted a decrease in the TAS-20 scores. We found that regular yoga practice improves alexisomia. Yoga-induced improvement of alexisomia may be mediated, at least in part, by an improvement of DIF in alexithymia. Yoga would be a promising therapeutic approach to improve alexisomia.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Alexisomia refers to difficulties in the awareness and expression of somatic feelings. This idea was proposed by Dr. Yujiro Ikemi as a characteristic observed in patients with psychosomatic diseases and is based on his observations that patients with psychosomatic diseases have difficulty in the awareness and expression of not only their emotions, i.e., alexithymia, but also somatic feelings and sensations, i.e., alexisomia. He also proposed that treating alexisomia is important in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases and that yoga might help improve alexisomia. However, no study has investigated if yoga actually affects alexisomia. This open-label pilot study investigated whether practicing yoga in a class results in change in patients with alexisomia and alexithymia.
METHODS
METHODS
The Shitsu-taikan-sho Scale (STSS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were administered to 305 participants, including 64 healthy participants, 111 participants who had subjective symptoms without abnormal findings, and 130 participants with chronic diseases. Participants were tested before and 3 months after attending yoga classes.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Yoga practice reduced the STSS and the TAS-20 difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) subscale scores. Multiple linear regression indicated that a reduction in the TAS-20 DIF subscale scores predicted a decrease in the STSS score, whereas reductions in the STSS difficulty in identifying bodily feelings (DIB) and the lack of health management based on bodily feelings (LHM) subscale scores predicted a decrease in the TAS-20 scores.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
We found that regular yoga practice improves alexisomia. Yoga-induced improvement of alexisomia may be mediated, at least in part, by an improvement of DIF in alexithymia. Yoga would be a promising therapeutic approach to improve alexisomia.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35659341
doi: 10.1186/s13030-022-00243-4
pii: 10.1186/s13030-022-00243-4
pmc: PMC9166595
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
14Subventions
Organisme : Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
ID : 17lk0310034h0001
Informations de copyright
© 2022. The Author(s).
Références
J Clin Med. 2018 Oct 31;7(11):
pubmed: 30384420
Biopsychosoc Med. 2007 Mar 06;1:7
pubmed: 17371586
J Psychosom Res. 1994 Jan;38(1):33-40
pubmed: 8126688
Biopsychosoc Med. 2013 Mar 28;7(1):8
pubmed: 23537323
Biopsychosoc Med. 2014 Dec 11;8(1):27
pubmed: 25525457
Biopsychosoc Med. 2017 Mar 3;11:5
pubmed: 28270860
Biopsychosoc Med. 2019 Nov 05;13:28
pubmed: 31709006
Int J Psychophysiol. 2009 Apr;72(1):34-45
pubmed: 18854201
J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2022;35(1):67-73
pubmed: 34092588
Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020 Nov;41:101250
pubmed: 33113486
Psychother Psychosom. 1979;31(1-4):324-33
pubmed: 482554
Psychother Psychosom. 1973;22(2):255-62
pubmed: 4770536
J Am Soc Psychosom Dent Med. 1983;30(1):3-16
pubmed: 6345490
Eat Weight Disord. 2021 Jun;26(5):1427-1435
pubmed: 32613441
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1984 Aug;65(8):452-6
pubmed: 6466075
Psychother Psychosom. 1986;45(3):118-26
pubmed: 3547451
Biopsychosoc Med. 2020 Sep 26;14:23
pubmed: 32999684
Biopsychosoc Med. 2009 Nov 03;3:12
pubmed: 19886981