A week of daily mindfulness meditation with slow breathing lowered blood levels of amyloid beta, a protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, while the same practice with normal breathing raised those levels. A control group that did not meditate showed no change. The results suggest that slow breathing may be a mechanism through which meditation influences biological pathways relevant to Alzheimer's disease.
One week of daily mindfulness meditation with slow breathing decreased plasma amyloid beta (Aβ) levels, while one week of daily mindfulness meditation with normal breathing increased plasma Aβ levels. A no-intervention control group showed no changes in plasma Aβ levels. The authors conclude that slow breathing appears to be a factor through which meditative practices can influence pathways relevant for Alzheimer's disease.