A New Translational Tool for Studying the Role of Breathing in Meditation.

描述（由申请人提供）：呼吸练习，单独或作为身心干预的组成部分，如冥想和瑜伽，具有改善多种急性和慢性疾病的潜力。本提案描述了一种新的转化工具的应用，用于动态监测呼吸，以调查特定呼吸运动，正念呼吸（MB）对主要心血管危险因素血压（BP）的影响。新的监测仪不仅可以连续测量呼吸频率，还可以在自然环境中以及诊所环境中测量过期空气中的二氧化碳（PetCO2）。PetCO2的相关性在于它与血液二氧化碳共变，而血液二氧化碳反过来调节酸碱平衡，已知酸碱平衡对所有身体组织的稳定生理功能至关重要，因此对健康很重要。本项目拟研究MB对高血压前期个体PetCO2、呼吸频率和血压的影响。第一个具体目标是检验假设，即一个为期八周的MB计划将产生比健康教育（HE）注意对照组更大的PetCO2变化。第二个具体目标是验证MB比HE更能降低24小时血压水平的假设，以及血压下降幅度较大的MB参与者PetCO2的变化比血压变化较小的参与者更大。新的监测器有能力在呼吸发生急性变化时向参与者提供反馈，从而改变PetCO2。因此，本项目的第三个具体目标是，在为期3个月的随访期间，调查在MB和HE训练中补充PetCO2反馈对BP的影响。该项目有可能阐明MB或其他身心干预可以影响心血管疾病主要危险因素的机制，从而证明其适用性

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Breathing exercises, alone or as a component of mind-body interventions such as meditation and yoga, have potential for amelioration of a wide range of acute and chronic disorders. The present proposal describes the application of a new translational tool for ambulatory monitoring of breathing to the investigation of the effects of a specific breathing exercise, mindful breathing (MB), on a major cardiovascular risk factor, blood pressure (BP). The new monitor enables continuous measurement, not only of breathing rate, but of CO2 in expired air (PetCO2) in the natural environment, as well as the clinic setting. The relevance of PetCO2 is that it co-varies with blood CO2, which in turn regulates acid base balance, known to be vital for stable physiological function in all bodily tissues, and thus important to health. The present project proposes a study of MB effects on PetCO2, breathing rate, and BP in individuals with prehypertension. A first specific aim is to test the hypothesis that an eight week program of MB will produce greater changes in PetCO2 than occur in a health education (HE) attention control group. A second specific aim is to test the hypothesis that MB will produce greater reductions in 24-hr BP levels than HE, and that MB participants with greater decreases in BP will show larger changes in PetCO2 than those with smaller BP changes. The new monitor has the capacity to provide feedback to participants when an acute change in breathing that alters PetCO2 has occurred. The third specific aim of this project is, therefore, to investigate the effect of supplementing MB and HE training with PetCO2 feedback on BP during a 3-month follow-up period. This project has the potential to elucidate a mechanism by which MB or other mind-body interventions can influence a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and thereby demonstrate the applicability of this new translational tool to research in CAM. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research would provide the scientific community and the public with a new translational tool that could help advance our understanding of how various mind-body interventions, including breathing exercises, and meditation may impact health outcomes, including elevated blood pressure. This tool could be used in research to enhance the effectiveness of those interventions, and by doing so, contribute to public health.