Anxiety-ridden individuals might soon have access to a groundbreaking pill that mimics the serenity of a yoga session.

Scientists are on the brink of developing this mind-altering medication following a breakthrough in understanding how our brains manage respiration.

Researchers believe that manipulating the complex neural network that ties our cognitive state to our breathing patterns could be the secret to conquering stress and anxiety-related conditions.

Jinho Jhang, a contributor to a brain study by the Salk Institute in the USA, remarked: “Our findings got me thinking: could we develop drugs to activate these neurons and manually slow our breathing or prevent hyperventilation in panic disorder? “.

Sung Han, another researcher involved, expressed his ambition: “I want to use these findings to design a yoga pill. It may sound silly, and the translation of our work into a marketable drug will take years.”

“But we now have a potentially targetable brain circuit for creating therapeutics that could instantly slow breathing and initiate a peaceful, meditative state.”

Currently, scientists have a comprehensive grasp only on the involuntary breathing processes controlled by the brainstem.

The experts at the Salk Institute, renowned for biological studies, have concentrated their efforts on exploring the conscious links between how we breathe and how we feel emotionally.

Researchers have unearthed a pathway in mice brains indicating a connection between voluntary breathing and emotional regulation.

Published in Nature Neuroscience journal, the study reveals an intriguing link between the brain’s higher-order regions and the primitive brainstem’s respiratory center.

The report explains that while breathing is largely automatic, both humans and certain animals can induce self-soothing by deliberately slowing their breath, akin to techniques used in yoga practices.

A team of scientific experts monitored neural activity in mice subjected to varying respiration adjustments while engaging in activities like sniffing, swimming, and drinking, as well as under stress-inducing conditions that provoked fear and anxiety.

Their findings show a specific network of neurons and molecules that could potentially be targeted with pharmaceuticals designed to regulate breathing and promote calmness during periods of anxietya proposed ideal “cure” for individuals experiencing panic attacks.