Exploring Oxytocin Response to Meditative Movement

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Hypertension
• Interventions: Behavioral: Tai Chi Easy

• Registration Number: NCT05621694
• Lead Sponsor: Arizona State University

Brief Summary

This pilot study is designed to test effects of a single session of meditative movement (Tai Chi Easy) on older adults' blood pressure, perceptions of connection, mood, and oxytocin levels.

Detailed Description

Endogenous oxytocin (the "cuddle hormone") is associated with lowering blood pressure (BP), suggesting that finding ways to increase oxytocin even in the absence of social connection, may be beneficial. Meditative movement emphasizing breath, meditative state and flow-inducing movements holds potential for reducing BP, improving mood and releasing oxytocin. In a single-group pilot study we exposed 21 OAs with mild-moderate hypertension to a 50-minute "Tai Chi Easy (TCE)" (simplified Tai Chi/Qigong) session, collecting BP, saliva samples for oxytocin, and psychosocial measures (connection, mood) pre/post intervention.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-09-30
• Primary Completion: 2020-01-31
• Study Completion: 2022-01-31
• Study First Submitted: 2022-05-25
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-11-15
• Study First Posted: 2022-11-18
• Status Verified: 2023-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-09-08
• Last Update Posted: 2023-09-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 21

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 55-80 --BP above 120/80 -

Exclusion Criteria

• having a neurologic disorder such as Parkinson's, seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease
• answered "yes" to one or more questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). The PAR-Q is a seven-question assessment that determines one's readiness, safety and ability to engage in physical activity and is safely validated for older adults

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Qigong/Tai Chi Intervention	Tai Chi Easy	Tai chi and Qigong combined into a simplified, standard practice, "Tai Chi Easy"

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Blood Pressure	Change from baseline (pre-intervention) blood pressure to immediately after the 50-minute intervention	Using blood pressure cuff, conducting two consecutive readings of systolic and diastolic

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Profile of Mood States; Short Form	Change from pre-intervention mood to immediately post-50-minute intervention point	Using only subscales for depression and tension, 14 items with response format 0-4, reporting mean of responses, range 0-4 with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression and tension.
Change in perception of Connection (this is not a published scale, no formal name, created for this study)	Change from pre-intervention to immediately after the 50-minute intervention	Two items assessing perception of connection with others and connection with self, score range
Change in Salivary Oxytocin	Change from pre-intervention to immediately after the 50-minute intervention	Saliva collection pre and post-intervention

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Arizona State University; 🇺🇸 Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Arizona State University Downtown Campus; 🇺🇸 Phoenix, Arizona, United States