Clinical trial NCT06986135: The Effect of Breathing on Cognitive Performance and Stress
Official title: The Effect of Breathing Interventions on Biomarkers of Stress and Cognitive Performance Following a Psychologically Stressful Task
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Stress
Acute Stress Reaction
Breathing Techniques
Cognitive Performance
Keywords: Stress
Trier Social Stress Test
Acute Stress
Breathing Technique
Box Breathing
Cognitive Performance
Biomarkers
Lead sponsor: Texas State University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Texas State University, San Marcos
First posted: 2025-05-22
Enrollment: 66
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 39
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups, between and within subject analysis occurred.
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of different breathing techniques on biomarkers of stress and cognitive performance following the Trier Social Stress Test.

Detailed description: This study examined the effect of three various breathing techniques (i.e., normal breathing, prolonged exhalation, and box breathing) on biomarkers of stress and mental performance after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The TSST has been shown to result in significant increases in psychological and physiological stress markers. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine potential interventions to mitigate the effects of this psychological stressor while maintaining increased cognitive performance. Moreover, previous literature has shown various effects of breathing interventions, therefore, the investigators wished to further validate breathing techniques as an effective tool to mitigate stress and increase cognitive performance. The data from this research provided insight to real life events, allowing for a principal understanding of how to reduce stress, focused at first responder populations.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Generally healthy
* Between the ages of 18-39,
* Student at Texas State.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any known cardiovascular or metabolic disease
* Consuming any medication for psychiatric disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression, ADHD)
* Being diagnosed with any psychiatric or physical conditions
* Any major stressors in the last 30 days (i.e., birth of a child, abortion, divorce).

Primary outcomes:
measure: Cognitive Challenge
timeFrame: 20 minutes prior to TSST start and immediately post TSST.
measure: Heart Rate
timeFrame: HR was recorded 4 times, during each saliva sample collection period
measure: State Anxiety Inventory (SAI)
timeFrame: Timepoint 1-4, 40 minutes pre, 10 minutes pre, immediately post, 25 minutes post.
measure: Heart rate variability
timeFrame: HRV was recorded immediately following the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th saliva samples.
measure: Secretory Immunoglobin-A
timeFrame: 40 minutes prior to modified TSST start, 10 minutes prior to modified TSST start, immediately post modified TSST, and 25 minutes post TSST
measure: Salivary Alpha Amylase
timeFrame: 40 minutes prior to modified TSST start, 10 minutes prior to modified TSST start, immediately post modified TSST, and 25 minutes post TSST
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: San Marcos
country: United States
facility: Texas State University, Metabolic & Applied Physiology Lab
state: Texas
Study officials:
References:
citation: Kotlyar M, Donahue C, Thuras P, Kushner MG, O'Gorman N, Smith EA, Adson DE. Physiological response to a speech stressor presented in a virtual reality environment. Psychophysiology. 2008 Nov;45(6):1034-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00690.x. Epub 2008 Sep 4.
citation: Allen AP, Kennedy PJ, Dockray S, Cryan JF, Dinan TG, Clarke G. The Trier Social Stress Test: Principles and practice. Neurobiol Stress. 2016 Nov 12;6:113-126. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.11.001. eCollection 2017 Feb.
citation: Matsumoto T, Masuda T, Hotta K, Shimizu R, Ishii A, Kutsuna T, Yamamoto K, Hara M, Takahira N, Matsunaga A. Effects of prolonged expiration breathing on cardiopulmonary responses during incremental exercise. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2011 Sep 15;178(2):275-82. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2011.06.025. Epub 2011 Jul 7.
citation: Narkiewicz K, van de Borne P, Montano N, Hering D, Kara T, Somers VK. Sympathetic neural outflow and chemoreflex sensitivity are related to spontaneous breathing rate in normal men. Hypertension. 2006 Jan;47(1):51-5. doi: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000197613.47649.02. Epub 2005 Dec 12.
citation: Ntovas P, Loumprinis N, Maniatakos P, Margaritidi L, Rahiotis C. The Effects of Physical Exercise on Saliva Composition: A Comprehensive Review. Dent J (Basel). 2022 Jan 5;10(1):7. doi: 10.3390/dj10010007.
citation: Dillard CC, Martaindale H, Hunter SD, McAllister MJ. Slow Breathing Reduces Biomarkers of Stress in Response to a Virtual Reality Active Shooter Training Drill. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Aug 21;11(16):2351. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11162351.
citation: Kim HG, Cheon EJ, Bai DS, Lee YH, Koo BH. Stress and Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature. Psychiatry Investig. 2018 Mar;15(3):235-245. doi: 10.30773/pi.2017.08.17. Epub 2018 Feb 28.