Resonance breathing to change Alzheimer’s protein levels and support memory
Official title: Effects of Resonance-Frequency Breathing on Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers and Cognition
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11308636 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses daily paced resonance breathing to try to change blood markers linked to Alzheimer’s and support thinking in adults aged 50–70.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 15, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,021,902 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG080652-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308636 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 50–70 without diagnosed dementia who can follow daily paced-breathing sessions and come to study visits, with recruitment focusing on African-American and European-American participants.
✕Less likely to help
People already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia, those younger than 50, or people who cannot perform paced breathing or commit to daily sessions are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If I join, I would be randomly assigned to do ten weeks of daily paced breathing exercises at home, using either resonance-frequency breathing or a comparison breathing approach. The team will take blood samples to measure amyloid proteins (like Aβ42 and the Aβ42/40 ratio), run cognitive tests, and collect other measures to understand how breathing might change biology and thinking. The trial is double-blinded and aims to include African-American and European-American adults aged 50–70 who do not have diagnosed dementia. Study visits will occur at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and I would be asked to follow the daily breathing routine and attend scheduled clinic visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this low-risk, non-drug breathing practice could lower blood amyloid markers and help preserve memory and thinking.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot data (including an N=108 trial) showed promise—resonance breathing reduced plasma Aβ and improved Aβ42/40 ratios in older adults—but larger randomized trials are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mather, Mara — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Mather, Mara
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.