Heart rate and breathing effects on attention and memory (HeartBEAM): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial in older adults

Abstract

Background: In healthy people, the “fight-or-flight” sympathetic system is counterbalanced by the “rest-and-digest” parasympathetic system. As we grow older, the parasympathetic system declines as the sympathetic system becomes hyperactive. In our prior heart rate variability biofeedback and emotion regulation (HRV-ER) clinical trial, we found that increasing parasympathetic activity through daily practice of slow-paced breathing significantly decreased plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) in healthy younger and older adults. In healthy adults, higher plasma Aβ is associated with greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our primary goal of this trial is to reproduce and extend our initial findings regarding effects of slow-paced breathing on Aβ. Our secondary objectives are to examine the effects of daily slow-paced breathing on brain structure and the rate of learning. Methods: Adults aged 50–70 have been randomized to practice one of two breathing protocols twice daily for 9 weeks: (1) “slow-paced breathing condition” involving daily cognitive training followed by slow-paced breathing designed to maximize heart rate oscillations or (2) “random-paced breathing condition” involving daily cognitive training followed by random-paced breathing to avoid increasing heart rate oscillations. The primary outcomes are plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels and plasma Aβ42/40 ratio. The secondary outcomes are brain perivascular space volume, hippocampal volume, and learning rates measured by cognitive training performance. Other pre-registered outcomes include plasma pTau-181/tTau ratio and urine Aβ42. Recruitment began in January 2023. Interventions are ongoing and will be completed by the end of 2023. Discussion: Our HRV-ER trial was groundbreaking in demonstrating that a behavioral intervention can reduce plasma Aβ levels relative to a randomized control group. We aim to reproduce these findings while testing effects on brain clearance pathways and cognition. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05602220. Registered on January 12, 2023.