Yoga, Immune Function, and Health

• Number of Participants With Detectable C-Reactive Protein (CRP) [ Time Frame: 8:30 a.m. at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) assessed once at baseline, at each of the three visits. The hsCRP assay was performed using chemiluminescence methodology with the Immulite 1000 (Siemens Medical Solutions, Los Angeles, Ca.) The lowest level of detection is .3 mg/dL. 43% of the values were below this lower bound, thus hsCRP was dichotomized as undetectable/detectable.
  
  
• Cortisol [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 10:05, 10:58, 11:35, 12:05, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  All cortisol and catecholamine samples for a subject were frozen after collection and analyzed within the same assay run after the participant had completed the study.
  
  
• Skin Barrier Repair: Trans-epidermal Water Loss (TEWL) [ Time Frame: 11:50, 12:50 at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Cellophane tape stripping, a common dermatological paradigm for studying restoration of the skin barrier, was used to examine whether the time necessary for recovery from minor physical insults varied by condition or yoga expertise. Measurement of the rate of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) through human skin provides a noninvasive method to monitor changes in the skin's barrier function. TEWL was measured twice during the session using a computerized evaporimetry instrument, the DermaLab® (CyberDERM, Media, PA), and barrier recovery was calculated.
  
  
• Immune Function: Soluble Interleukin-6 Receptor (sIL-6r) [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 11:35, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Serum levels of the sIL-6r were assayed using Quantikine High Sensitivity Immunoassay kits (R&D), per kit instructions.
  
  
• Immune Function: Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 11:35, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Serum levels of TNF-α were assayed using Quantikine High Sensitivity Immunoassay kits (R&D), per kit instructions.
  
  
• Immune Function: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -Stimulated Production of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 10:05, 11:35, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Supernatants from PBLs stimulated with 5μg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 72 h were assayed for IL-6 and TNF-α using ELISA kits (B-D Pharmingen).
  
  
• Immune Function: LPS-stimulated Production of TNF-α [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 10:05, 11:35, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Supernatants from PBLs stimulated with 5μg/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 72 h were assayed for IL-6 and TNF-α using ELISA kits (B-D Pharmingen).
  
  
• Immune Function: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [ Time Frame: Day 1 8:30, 11:35, 13:10. Day 2 7:30 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and the sIL-6r were assayed using Quantikine High Sensitivity Immunoassay kits (R&D), per kit instructions
  
  
• Catecholamine Production: Epinephrine [ Time Frame: 8:30, 10:05, 10:28, 10:58, 11:35, 12:05 at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  All cortisol and catecholamine samples for a subject were frozen after collection and analyzed within the same assay run after the participant had completed the study.
  
  
• Catecholamine Production: Norepinephrine [ Time Frame: 8:30, 10:05, 10:28, 10:58, 11:35, 12:05 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  All cortisol and catecholamine samples for a subject were frozen after collection and analyzed within the same assay run after the participant had completed the study.
  
  

• Heart Rate [ Time Frame: Day 1: 8:30, 9:15, 9:45, 10:00, 10:45, 11:35, 12:05, 12:15 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: 7:55 at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Mood: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)Positive [ Time Frame: 7:35, 11:45, 12:30 at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) includes two 10-item mood scales. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 = very slightly or not at all to 5 = extremely, to indicate the extent to which the respondent has felt this way in the indicated time frame. Several additional words were added to better capture low positive affect: happy, satisfied, disappointed, discouraged, low, sad.
  
  
• Mood: Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)Negative [ Time Frame: 7:35, 11:45, 12:30 at each of the three visits, scheduled at least 2 weeks apart ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) includes two 10-item mood scales. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 = very slightly or not at all to 5 = extremely, to indicate the extent to which the respondent has felt this way in the indicated time frame. Several additional words were added to better capture low positive affect: happy, satisfied, disappointed, discouraged, low, sad.
  
  

This study is designed to examine the effects of hatha yoga on autonomic, immune, and endocrine function. The data from both inexperienced and experienced groups will help us better understand how longer-term practice of yoga may be beneficial. The study consists of one 3-hour screening session and three 6-hour activity sessions with 30 minute follow-up appointments the following morning scheduled 2 - 4 weeks apart. Each participant will complete the 3 activity sessions, which will consist of either yoga, mild movement, or a neutral activity (watching a videotape), in randomly assigned order. Thus, both novices and experts will participate in 3 activity sessions each (yoga, movement control, video control). The order in which each participant goes through the activity sessions is counterbalanced. Data for each activity session will be aggregated by group (i.e. novice or expert). We will measure responses to tape stripping to assess skin barrier repair, and evaluate responses to computer tasks, self-report measures, and a battery of unobtrusive behavioral measures. We will also collect blood and saliva samples to measure immune and endocrine outcomes.