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

Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trial

Official title:

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

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06210035
• Other study ID #: UP-23-00373
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 29, 2024
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: University of Southern California
• Contact: Kaoru Nashiro, PhD
• Phone: 213-761-5015
• Email: nashiro[@]usc.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 81
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: July 1, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 35 Years

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alzheimer Disease

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Belly-focus meditation
Participants will engage in concentration meditation for 40 minutes every day for a week. They will focus on the sensations around the belly.
• Belly-focus meditation with slow breathing
Participants will engage in concentration meditation and slow breathing for 40 minutes every day for a week. They will focus on the sensations around the belly while breathing slowly.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Southern California	Los Angeles	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Southern California	University of California, Irvine

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Episodic memory	The investigators will conduct a one-way ANOVA to assess group differences in episodic memory.	Measured after a one-week intervention
Primary	Change in plasma amyloid beta levels	The investigators will compute an aggregate score based on both plasma Ab40 and Ab42 levels. The investigators will conduct a time (pre, post) X condition ANOVA to test for a time X condition interaction in plasma Ab levels (to assess group differences in change).	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention
Primary	Change in plasma Ab42/40 ratio	The investigators will conduct a time X condition ANOVA to test for a time X condition interaction with plasma Ab42/40 ratio scores as the dependent variable (to assess group differences in change).	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention
Secondary	Change in plasma pTau-181/tau ratio	The investigators will conduct a time X condition ANOVA to test for a time X condition interaction with plasma pTau-181/tau ratio as the dependent variable (to assess group differences in change).	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention
Secondary	Change in emotional well-being	The investigators will conduct a time X condition ANOVA to test for a time X condition interaction with emotional well-being as the dependent variable (to assess group differences in change).	Measured before and after a one-week intervention