Investigating the Interaction Between EEG and HRV Protocol for Study of Three-Circle Post Standing Qigong

Abstract Background Qigong has a long-term application as an initiative therapy for prevent and cure diseases, as a mindful exercise, it’s unique function of integrate mind, breath and body gets a lot of attention, researches show that qigong practice could adjust brain and heart function. Currently we have limitations on study qigong’s coordinate mechanism between mind and body, existing studies lack of evidence on electrophysiology research.Our object here is to propose a method to evaluate the effects of qigong on mind body adjustment, and to analyse the coordinate function of Electroencephalogram (EEG) and Heart rate variability (HRV) by complex signal process.MethodsA two-arm randomized clinical trial with eighty-four qigong naïve subjects without cerebral or cardiovascular diseases or other severe syndromes will be allocate to either intervention group(n=42) or wait in list control group(n=42). Participants in the intervention group will conduct Three-circle post standing qigong exercise 5 times per week for 8 weeks, while wait in list group will maintain their current lifestyle during 8 weeks period. The outcome will be complexity-based measures of heart rate and EEG signals assessed at baseline and 8 weeks. Multiscale entropy analysis will be used as measures of complexity.ConclusionThis study will be investigate the effects of qigong exercise by EEG and HRV analyse before and after Three-circle post standing practice, and to measure their synergies by complex signal process method. Results of this study may lead to novel biomarkers that help us monitor and understand the physiological processes of brain and heart function and explore the potential benefits of Qigong and will provide a research evidence for qigong’s mind and body synergy function and to direct future clinical treatment.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol has been approved by the institutional review boards of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, where the study will take place(approval number: 2018BZHYLL0109).Trail registrationThis study has been registered with the“Chinese Clinical Trail Registry”, Republic of China, which is a registry in the WHO Registry Network. Register number: ChiCTR-Bon-17010840.