Influence of Yogic Breathwork on CSF Circulation

NCT03858309 | Completed Results DMC

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00019281K99AT010158-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 26
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to determine the influence of yoga breathing practices on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation, and to find out primarily if a regular practice of 8-week yoga breathing would enhance CSF circulation as well as if the intervention would improve participant's quality of life, quality of sleep, and reduce existing stress. Participants will be randomized into two arms for different breathing practices.

Conditions

CSF Circulation

Keywords

Cerebrospinal Fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow; Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation; Yoga; Yogic Breathwork; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Breathing; Sleep; RT-PCMRI; CSF Flow; Slow Breathing; Respiration

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• CSF Flow Velocities

  We have collected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow measurements during a set of breathing practices while subjects were inside the MRI scanner. MRI-based CSF flow was quantified at the level of Foramen Magnum. Data processing included the extraction of velocity waveforms of the CSF motion ( i.e, CSF velocity in cm/s) and subsequent analysis of CSF velocities across different breathing conditions. Positive CSF velocities indicate fluid motion in the cranial (upward) direction, whereas negative velocities represent fluid motion in the caudal (downward) direction. For the registry, descriptive statistics of CSF velocities (mean and standard deviation) are reported at pre- and post-intervention for participants completing both MRI visits with analyzable CSF data (Group 1 n=7, Group 2 n=7). No inferential statistical tests or change score analyses are included in the registry submission; all reported results are descriptive only.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).

• Body Mass Index (BMI)

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).

• Daily Home Practice Frequency

  8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).

• Daily Home Practice Duration

  8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).

Study Arms (2)

Breathing Group 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Arm 1 will receive an 8-week intervention that consists of a set of breathing practices through 60-minute weekly group on-site sessions (1day/week) with a 20-minute daily home sessions (in between on-site sessions; 6 days/week).

Behavioral: Breathing Group 1

Breathing Group 2

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Arm 2 will receive an 8-week intervention that consists of slow breathing practices through 60-minute weekly group on-site sessions (1day/week) with a 20-minute daily home sessions (in between on-site sessions; 6 days/week).

Behavioral: Breathing Group 2

Interventions

Breathing Group 1 BEHAVIORAL

The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher.

Breathing Group 1

Breathing Group 2 BEHAVIORAL

The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of slow breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher.

Breathing Group 2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• \- 18-65 years of age, able to provide their consent to be in the study, available and able to participate in study activities, who can lie in supine, able to walk 15 feet, who have no prior/current mind-body practice inducing breath awareness or training such as yoga, meditation, Ta-Chi, Qi-Gong.

You may not qualify if:

• \- Inability to provide informed consent, MRI contraindications, need for muscle relaxants or anti-anxiety drugs in order to tolerate MRI, history of neurological disorders, head trauma with loss of consciousness, craniospinal disorders, spinal injury, sleep disorders, allergic or respiratory disorders, major or uncontrolled psychiatric illness or major depression, lung and heart problems, any condition requiring the use of medication that acts on the brain like stimulants, sedatives current substance abuse issues, pregnancy or nursing.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oregon Health and Science University: lead
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): collaborator
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Oregon Health & Science University

Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Respiratory Aspiration; Hypoventilation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Respiratory Insufficiency; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Signs and Symptoms

Limitations and Caveats

* Lack of compatible devices (iPhone or iPad) with the respiration trackers among study participants resulted in a number of participants without respiration trackers. * Technical problems with the respiration trackers resulted in partly no data collection, or no data collection throughout the study for one subject. * Subjects with MRI data motion artifacts and/or subjects unable to follow breathing protocol were excluded from MRI data analysis.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Selda Yildiz, PhD
• Organization: Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)

yildiz@ohsu.edu

(503) 494-7219

Study Officials

• Yildiz

  Oregon Health and Science University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Research Associate

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 22, 2019
• First Posted: February 28, 2019
• Study Start: July 10, 2019
• Primary Completion: November 25, 2019
• Study Completion: July 30, 2020
• Last Updated: October 29, 2025
• Results First Posted: October 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)