title: The relaxation response: reducing stress and improving cognition in healthy aging adults.
abstract: Aging adults are vulnerable to the effects of a negative emotional state. The relaxation response (RR) is a mind-body intervention that counteracts the harmful effects of stress. Previous studies with relaxation techniques have shown the non-pharmacological benefit of reducing stress and improving the memory of healthy older adults. Our pilot study evaluated whether a RR training program would decrease anxiety levels, improve attention, declarative memory performance and/or decrease salivary cortisol levels in healthy older adults. Fifteen adults participated and were randomly assigned to a RR training or control groups. Mean age was 71.3 years and mean education level was 17.9 years. Reaction time on a simple attention/psychomotor task was significantly improved (p<0.0025) with RR training, whereas there was no significant improvement on complex tasks of attention, verbal, or visual declarative memory tests. Self-reported state anxiety levels showed a marginally significant reduction (p<0.066). All subjects' salivary cortisol levels were within low-normal range and did not significantly change. Our 5-week program in highly educated, mobile, healthy, aging adults significantly improved performance on a simple attention task.
authors.affiliation: Mind/Body Medical Institute and Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Galvin
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: Gloria R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Deckro
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fricchione
authors.forename: Jeffery A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dusek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D012063:Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone