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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Alzheimer Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation; Behavioral: Belly-focus meditation with slow breathing

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 94
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90089
      • University of Southern California

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Belly-focus concentration meditation; 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.	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.
Experimental: Belly-focus concentration meditation with slow breathing; 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.	Behavioral: 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.
No Intervention: No-intervention control; Participants will rest quietly for 40 minutes every day for a week while recording heart rate.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Plasma Amyloid Beta (Aβ) Levels	The investigators computed an aggregate Z-score based on plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels (pg/mL). A Z-score of 0 represents the sample mean. Higher values indicate a greater level of plasma Aβ, which in cognitively normal individuals has been found to be associated with a higher risk of converting to Alzheimer's disease (Song et al., 2011). They conducted a 2 (time: pre, post) × 3 (condition) ANOVA to test for a time × condition interaction in plasma Aβ levels, assessing group differences in change over time.	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention
Change in Plasma Ab42/40 Ratio	The investigators conducted a 2 (time: pre, post) × 3 (condition) ANOVA to test for an interaction effect on plasma Ab42/40 ratios. The plasma Ab42/40 ratio was calculated by dividing the plasma Ab42 concentration (pg/ml) by the plasma Ab40 concentration (pg/ml). A higher plasma Ab42/40 ratio indicates better outcome (i.e., greater brain clearance).	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Plasma pTau-181/Tau Ratio	The investigators conducted a 2 (time: pre, post) × 3 (condition) ANOVA to test for an interaction effect on plasma pTau-181/total Tau ratios. The plasma pTau-181/total Tau ratio was calculated by dividing the plasma pTau-181 concentration (pg/ml) by the plasma total Tau concentration (pg/ml). A higher plasma pTau-181/total Tau ratio indicates better outcome (i.e., greater brain clearance).	Measured from blood draws before and after a one-week intervention
Change in Emotional Well-being	The investigators conducted a 2 (time: pre, post) × 3 (condition) ANOVA to test for an interaction effect on emotional well-being. Emotional well-being was assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS), which consists of 40 items rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely"). Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) scores were calculated by summing the negative mood items and subtracting the sum of the positive mood items. A constant of 100 was added to the TMD score to eliminate negative values. Higher scores indicate more negative mood states, with possible scores ranging from 56 to 216.	Measured before and after a one-week intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Episodic Memory	The investigators will conduct a one-way ANOVA to assess group differences in episodic memory.	Measured after a one-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Southern California
• Collaborators: University of California, Irvine

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 29, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 3, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 3, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 20, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 5, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): January 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Dementia; Tauopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Alzheimer Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: UP-23-00373

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No