Effects of Heart Rate Oscillations During Meditation on Plasma Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease

University of Southern California

Status: Completed

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation with slow breathing; Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06210035

UP-23-00373

Details and patient eligibility

About

In the current study, we will examine how two types of concentration meditation practices affect plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We will also examine the effects of the two types of meditation practices on emotional well-being and episodic memory. Healthy adults aged 18-35 who meet all eligibility criteria will be invited to this study. Participants will be asked to engage in one week of daily meditation practice or no-intervention control task at home. They will also be asked to visit the lab twice, once before and once after the intervention, to provide blood samples to assess plasma biomarkers of AD and to complete emotion questionnaires and a memory test.

Enrollment: 94 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Fluent in English
• Aged between 18-35 years old
• Agree to provide blood samples
• Healthy adults who weigh at least 110 pounds
• Agree to devote 40 minutes daily to this study for a week

Exclusion criteria

• Have a disorder that would affect heart rhythm or function (e.g., abnormal cardiac rhythm, dyspnea, heart disease including coronary artery disease, angina and arrhythmia)
• Regularly practicing any relaxation, meditation or yoga that involve breathing focused practices lasting for more than an hour each week

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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94 participants in 3 patient groups

Belly-focus concentration meditation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will engage in concentration meditation for 40 minutes every day for a week while recording heart rate. They will focus on the sensations around the belly.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation

Belly-focus concentration meditation with slow breathing

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will engage in concentration meditation and slow breathing for 40 minutes every day for a week while recording heart rate. They will focus on the sensations around the belly while breathing slowly.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation with slow breathing

No-intervention control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will rest quietly for 40 minutes every day for a week while recording heart rate.