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Breathing Practice for Brain and Mental Health in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Enhancing Brain and Mental Health Through Respiratory Training: Clinical Applications in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Disease Care for Patients and Caregivers (Breathing Study)

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 4 months, 2 months
  • Procedures mentioned: MRI scans, Blood draws

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "GROUP 1: Participants engage in breathing self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for 4 months on study."
  • "Participants also undergo MRI scans throughout the study."
  • "GROUP 2: Participants engage in walking self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for 4 months on study."
  • "SUBGROUP 4: Participants engage in walking self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for an additional 2 months and also engage in breathing self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for 2 months on study."
  • "STUDY 2: Cancer patients and their caregivers engage in breathing self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for 4 months on study."
  • "STUDY 3: MS patients engage in breathing self-practice routines using a mobile app over 30 minutes daily for 4 months on study."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether breathing practice can help brain and mental health in people with cancer or multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers. Researchers will measure oxygen reaching the brain and the flow of fluid around the brain and spinal cord.

This clinical trial studies the effect of respiratory training for enhancing brain and mental health among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer (along with their caregivers). The relationship between respiration, cardiovascular effects in the brain, mental health, and neurophysiological mechanisms are significant for patient populations facing complex health challenges, such as those with cancer and neurodegenerative disease, and their caregivers. By measuring oxygen delivery to brain tissues and cerebrospinal fluid flow, this trial may help researchers investigate the potential benefits of respiratory training for patients with MS and cancer and their caregivers.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • All studies: You must be able to do light exercise.
  • All studies: You must read and understand English well enough to agree to join, complete study tasks, and follow directions.
  • All studies: You must have access to a smartphone or tablet.
  • Study 2: Patients must have prostate cancer, brain cancer, or a neuroendocrine tumor (a tumor in cells that make hormones). Any cancer stage is allowed.
  • Study 2: The study mainly seeks patients and their caregivers together, but either may join alone.
  • Study 3: Patients must have multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.

Who can't join

  • All studies: You cannot join if you cannot safely use an MRI scanner, such as because of a pacemaker or metal implant.
  • All studies: You cannot join if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during the study.
  • Studies 2 and 3: You cannot join if you have long-term lung disease, such as COPD or cystic fibrosis, or an aneurysm (a bulge in a blood vessel).
  • Study 1: You cannot join if you have long-term health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, an uneven heartbeat, COPD, cystic fibrosis, cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea (breathing pauses during sleep), or an aneurysm.
  • Study 1: You cannot join if you have a brain or nerve condition, including epilepsy (seizures), Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, essential tremor (uncontrolled shaking), or Parkinson's disease.
  • Study 1: You cannot join if you have psychosis (trouble knowing what is real), suicidal thoughts or behavior, bipolar disorder, major depression, or a drug or alcohol use disorder.
  • Study 1: You cannot join if you care for someone with any of the listed conditions or other illnesses, such as cancer or brain or nerve disorders.
  • Study 1: You cannot join if you have severe trouble seeing or hearing, or a body mass index (BMI, a measure based on height and weight) over 30.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * STUDY 1: Participants must be physically fit enough to perform light exercise. * STUDY 1: Should read and understand English well enough to consent, complete measures, and follow instructions. * STUDY 1: Must have access to a smartphone or tablet. * STUDY 2: Participants must be physically fit enough to perform light exercise. * STUDY 2: Cancer patients may have prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, or brain cancer in any stage. * STUDY 2: The main focus is on pairs of cancer patients and their respective caregivers, but individual cancer patients or individual caregivers are also acceptable. * STUDY 2: Participants should read and understand English well enough to consent, complete measures, and follow instructions. * STUDY 2: They also must have access to a smartphone or tablet. * STUDY 3: Participants must be physically fit enough to perform light exercise. * STUDY 3: The patient should have multiple sclerosis. * STUDY 3: Participants should read and understand English well enough to consent, complete measures, and follow instructions. * STUDY 3: They also must have access to a smartphone or tablet. Exclusion Criteria: * STUDY 1: Participants incompatible with MRI machines due to factors such as pacemakers or metallic implants. * STUDY 1: Additionally, those with chronic medical conditions, including heart disease (coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, aneurysms, and neurological conditions (epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington' disease, essential tremor and Parkinson disease) are excluded. * STUDY 1: Participants with psychiatric conditions such as psychosis, suicidality, bipolar disorder, major depression, and substance use disorders are excluded. * STUDY 1: Participants serving as caregivers for any of the aforementioned conditions and for other illnesses such as cancer or neurological disorders, are also excluded. * STUDY 1: Further exclusions apply to those with severe vision, hearing impairments, have a body mass index (BMI) over 30, and those who are pregnant. * STUDY 1: Those planning to become pregnant during the study period will be excluded. * STUDY 2: Participants incompatible with MRI machines due to factors such as pacemakers or metallic implants are excluded, as are those with chronic lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease \[COPD\], cystic fibrosis), aneurysms, and those who are pregnant. * STUDY 2: Those planning to become pregnant during the study period will be excluded. * STUDY 3: Participants incompatible with MRI machines due to factors such as pacemakers or metallic implants are excluded, as are those with chronic lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease \[COPD\], cystic fibrosis), aneurysms, and those who are pregnant. * STUDY 3: Those planning to become pregnant during the study period will be excluded.

Study sites (1)

MN