CSF CirculationCSFNCT03858309
Influence of Yogic Breathwork on CSF Circulation
A study testing Breathing Group 1 and Breathing Group 2 in people with CSF Circulation, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
Trial 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… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- CSF Circulation
- What is being tested?
- Breathing Group 1 and Breathing Group 2
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 26 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 10 Jul 2019to 30 Jul 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239
About this study
Official title: Quantifying the Influence of Yogic Breathwork on Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation
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.
Read the detailed description
The purpose of this research protocol is to determine the influence of an 8-week breathing intervention on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation among healthy participants using a non-invasive real-time phase-contrast magnetic imaging (RT-PCMRI) technique. This aim will be examined by studying the changes in each participant's pre- and post-intervention CSF flow dynamics using the non-invasive RT-PCMRI technique during two MRI scans (one before and one after the 8-week intervention).
The study protocol consists of 20 healthy participants (two groups; 10 in each group with different breathing practices) undergoing an 8-week intervention, and pre-and post-intervention outcome measures.
The two 8-week interventions will be guided by two separate certified experienced yoga teachers. Both interventions will consist of 60-minute weekly group on-site sessions (1day/week) with a 20-minute daily home sessions (in between on-site sessions; 6 days/week) using home-aid practice materials. Participants' respiration data will be objectively tracked using a wearable respiration tracker device.
- Conditions
- CSF Circulation
- Being tested
- Breathing Group 1, Breathing Group 2
- Keywords
- Cerebrospinal Fluid, Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow, Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation, Yoga, Yogic Breathwork, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Breathing, Sleep, RT-PCMRI, CSF Flow, Slow Breathing, Respiration
- Medical subject headings
- Respiratory Aspiration, Hypoventilation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Breathing Group 1Behavioural
The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher.
Breathing Group 2Behavioural
The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of slow breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 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). Receives: 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). Receives: Behavioral: Breathing Group 2 |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
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.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
Secondary outcomes (4)
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured participants seated at rest at pre- and post-intervention visits.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI was collected at pre- and post-intervention visits, and was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²).
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
Daily Home Practice Frequency
Average breathing practice frequency were measured using a wearable respiration tracker to objectively evaluate home practice throughout the intervention: frequency (days/week). Preliminary analysis estimated mean frequency (days/week) across participants. Onsite class sessions were excluded.
Measured: 8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).
Daily Home Practice Duration
Average breathing practice duration were measured using a wearable respiration tracker to objectively evaluate home practice throughout the intervention: duration (in minute). Preliminary analysis estimated mean duration (minutes) across participants. Onsite class sessions were excluded.
Measured: 8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Feb 2019
- Study start10 Jul 2019
- Primary completion25 Nov 2019
- Study completion30 Jul 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for CSF CirculationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Oregon Health and Science UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Selda Yildiz, Oregon Health and Science University
- Investigators
- Yildiz, Principal investigator, Oregon Health and Science University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03858309
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00019281
- Other IDs
- K99AT010158-01
- Acronym
- CSF
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 22 Feb 2019
- Last updated
- 29 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Quantifying the Influence of Yogic Breathwork on Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03858309
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CSF / STUDY00019281
- Conditions
- CSF Circulation
- Keywords
- Cerebrospinal Fluid, Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow, Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation, Yoga, Yogic Breathwork, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Breathing, Sleep
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Study start
- 10 Jul 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Feb 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 29 Oct 2025
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
The purpose of this research protocol is to determine the influence of an 8-week breathing intervention on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation among healthy participants using a non-invasive real-time phase-contrast magnetic imaging (RT-PCMRI) technique. This aim will be examined by studying the changes in each participant's pre- and post-intervention CSF flow dynamics using the non-invasive RT-PCMRI technique during two MRI scans (one before and one after the 8-week intervention).
The study protocol consists of 20 healthy participants (two groups; 10 in each group with different breathing practices) undergoing an 8-week intervention, and pre-and post-intervention outcome measures.
The two 8-week interventions will be guided by two separate certified experienced yoga teachers. Both interventions will consist of 60-minute weekly group on-site sessions (1day/week) with a 20-minute daily home sessions (in between on-site sessions; 6 days/week) using home-aid practice materials. Participants' respiration data will be objectively tracked using a wearable respiration tracker device.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Breathing Group 1 | Experimental | Behavioral: Breathing Group 1Arm 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). |
| Breathing Group 2 | Active comparator | Behavioral: Breathing Group 2Arm 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). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Breathing Group 1The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher. | Behavioural | Breathing Group 1 |
| Breathing Group 2The 8-week breathwork intervention incorporates a set of slow breathing practices under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher. | Behavioural | Breathing Group 2 |
Primary outcome
CSF Flow Velocities
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
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.
4 secondary outcomes
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).
Daily Home Practice Frequency
Time frame: 8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).
Daily Home Practice Duration
Time frame: 8 weeks (daily home practice over the course of 8-week intervention).
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Oct 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Yildiz principal investigator
Oregon Health and Science University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Breathing Group 1 and Breathing Group 2 in people with CSF Circulation, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 29 Oct 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
CSF Flow Velocities (time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and post-intervention (after 8 weeks).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Oct 2025.