Stress
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the molecular (nitric oxide) and biochemical (epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol and ACTH) parameters that are associated with RR elicitation and which may counteract the effects of acute stress in the elderly.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALRelaxation response
8 weeks of relaxation response training
Sponsors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 60-80 years of age * healthy individuals * willing and able to attend treatment sessions * willing to learn how to do and practice the relaxation-response * access to a working telephone * read and write English
Exclusion criteria
* Major medical or psychiatric illness * asthma or seasonal allergies (resulting in nitric oxide levels \>60 ppb) * smoking * previous relaxation-response practice * current use of the following medications:systemic corticosteroids, anti-convulsants/psychotics, immunosuppressants, cytotoxic therapy, anabolic steroids, antidepressants (other than SSRIs), dicyclomine, bile acid binding resins, or sympathomimetic medication
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| A primary goal of this study is to quantify the magnitude of relaxation response elicitation by comparing oxygen consumption during rest versus during elicitation of the relaxation response in a sample of healthy older adults. | 8 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| A second area of interest is the relationship between exhaled levels of nitric oxide (NO) and oxygen consumption (VO2) during relaxation response elicitation. | 8 weeks |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed