Actively Recruiting
Cardiac-Control Affecting Learning Through Mindfulness (CALM) A Study on Mindfulness Breathing and Heart Rate Oscillation in Older Adults Affecting Cognition and Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers
Led by University of Southern California · Updated on 2026-05-13
240
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Southern California
Lead Sponsor
U
University of California, Irvine
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are studying how different types of daily mindfulness breathing exercises with heart rate biofeedback affect attention, memory, and blood markers linked to Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. The study focuses on people aged 50 to 70 who are fluent in English and either Black/African-American or White/European-American. It aims to understand how changing heart rate patterns during breathing can influence brain health and cognitive function. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one that practices breathing at a slow "resonance" frequency to increase heart rate oscillation with biofeedback, and another that practices breathing without a fixed frequency to decrease heart rate oscillation with biofeedback. The intervention involves daily mindfulness practice lasting up to 50 minutes for 10 weeks, along with two campus visits for assessments. During the study, participants will provide blood and urine samples, complete daily brain training games, and undergo brain imaging scans. Researchers will measure changes in plasma amyloid-beta levels and brain perivascular space volume between Week 1 and Week 10. The study includes safety monitoring and aims to track how these interventions may affect cognitive and biological markers over the 10-week period.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Cardiac-Control Affecting Learning Through Mindfulness (CALM)
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Fluent in English
- Black/African-American or White/European-American
- Aged between 50 and 70 years old
- Non-pregnant and non-menstruating for at least the past year
- Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing
- Have reliable access to wifi
- Have an email account that you check regularly
- Have a phone that receives text messages
- Agree to provide blood and urine samples at two campus visits
- Agree to devote up to 50 minutes daily to this study for 10 weeks and attend two campus visits
You will not qualify if you...
- Have a disorder that would impede performing the breathing intervention, such as abnormal cardiac rhythm, arrhythmia, or dyspnea
- Have cognitive impairment
- Have regularly played Lumosity games in the past 6 months
- Have any metal in the body or conditions unsafe for MRI, including claustrophobia, implants (e.g., pacemaker, defibrillator, neurostimulator), metallic injuries, prostheses, shrapnel, tattoos or piercings that cannot be removed, and other specified metal-related conditions
- Have worked in metal grinding professions or hobbies
- Have certain medical devices or implants incompatible with MRI such as cardiac devices, brain clips, cochlear implants, vascular clamps, infusion pumps, and others
- Have conditions or devices that prevent safe MRI scanning as detailed in the exclusion list provided
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
2 campus visits for blood and urine samples
Duration - 10 weeks
Participants practice mindfulness breathing daily to regulate heart rate oscillation, with biofeedback to either increase or decrease oscillation, over 10 weeks.
Daily practice sessions, including brain training exercises during Weeks 1 to 10
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, United States, 90089
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
E
Emotion & Cognition Lab Coordinator
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
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