Six months ago, researchers at UCLA published a study that
showed using a specific type of yoga to engage in a brief, simple daily
meditation reduced the stress levels of people who care for those stricken by
Alzheimer's and dementia. Now they know why.
As
previously reported, practicing a certain form of chanting yogic meditation for
just 12 minutes daily for eight weeks led to a reduction in the biological
mechanisms responsible for an increase in the immune system's inflammation
response. Inflammation, if constantly activated, can contribute to a multitude
of chronic health problems.
Reporting
in the current online edition of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, Dr.
Helen Lavretsky, senior author and a professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel
Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and colleagues found in their
work with 45 family dementia caregivers that 68 of their genes responded
differently after Kirtan Kriya Meditation (KKM), resulting in reduced
inflammation.
Caregivers
are the unsung heroes for their yeoman's work in taking care of loved ones that
have been stricken with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, said
Lavretsky, who also directs UCLA's Late-Life Depression, Stress and Wellness
Research Program. But caring for a frail or demented family member can be a
significant life stressor. Older adult caregivers report higher levels of
stress and depression and lower levels of satisfaction, vigor and life in
general. Moreover, caregivers show higher levels of the biological markers of
inflammation. Family members in particular are often considered to be at risk
of stress-related disease and general health decline.
As the U.S.
population continues to age over the next two decades, Lavretsky noted, the
prevalence of dementia and the number of family caregivers who provide support
to these loved ones will increase dramatically. Currently, at least five
million Americans provide care for someone with dementia.
"We
know that chronic stress places caregivers at a higher risk for developing
depression," she said "On average, the incidence and prevalence of
clinical depression in family dementia caregivers approaches 50 percent.
Caregivers are also twice as likely to report high levels of emotional
distress." What's more, many caregivers tend to be older themselves,
leading to what Lavretsky calls an "impaired resilience" to stress
and an increased rate of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
Research
has suggested for some time that psychosocial interventions like meditation
reduce the adverse effects of caregiver stress on physical and mental health.
However, the pathways by which such psychosocial interventions impact biological
processes are poorly understood.
In the
study, the participants were randomized into two groups. The meditation group
was taught the 12-minute yogic practice that included Kirtan Kriya, which was
performed every day at the same time for eight weeks. The other group was asked
to relax in a quiet place with their eyes closed while listening to
instrumental music on a relaxation CD, also for 12 minutes daily for eight
weeks. Blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and again at the
end of the eight weeks.
"The
goal of the study was to determine if meditation might alter the activity of
inflammatory and antiviral proteins that shape immune cell gene
expression," said Lavretsky. "Our analysis showed a reduced activity
of those proteins linked directly to increased inflammation.
"This
is encouraging news. Caregivers often don't have the time, energy, or contacts
that could bring them a little relief from the stress of taking care of a loved
one with dementia, so practicing a brief form of yogic meditation, which is
easy to learn, is a useful too."
Lavretsky
is a member of UCLA's recently launched
Alzheimer's
and Dementia Care Program
, which
provides comprehensive, coordinated care as well as resources and support to
patients and their caregivers. Lavretsky has incorporated yoga practice
into the caregiver program.
Funding for
the study was provided by the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation in
Tucson, Ariz.. Other authors of the study included David S. Black, Steve Cole,
Michael R. Irwin, Elizabeth Breen, Natalie M. St. Cyr, Nora Nazarian, all of
UCLA, and Dharma S. Khalsa, medical director for the Alzheimer's Research and
Prevention Foundation in Tucson.
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