Highlights
- A brain blood flow-related measure increased by 97%.
- A parasympathetic, or “rest-and-recover,” measure increased by 67%.
- Perfusion Index increased by 59%.
- Self-reported total wellness increased by 81%.
An 80-year-old participant in an exploratory assisted living facility study completed one 20-minute AVACEN session. Researchers measured her immediately before and after the session to look for short-term changes in brain blood flow-related measurements, autonomic nervous system activity, peripheral circulation, and self-reported wellness.
A change in a brain blood flow-related measure
The brain needs a steady supply of blood because blood delivers the oxygen and nutrients brain cells require for normal activity.
The study used a non-invasive cerebral blood flow proxy. A proxy is an indirect measurement: it provides information related to changes in cerebral blood flow but does not directly measure the amount of blood flowing through the brain.
For this participant, the cerebral blood flow proxy increased from 157 to 309 after the session—an increase of 97%. Her heart rate remained stable at approximately 87 beats per minute.
The increase is interesting as evidence of an acute brain circulation-related response, although the measurement alone cannot tell us whether brain function changed.
A shift toward the body’s “rest-and-recover” response
The autonomic nervous system automatically regulates functions such as heart rate, blood vessel activity, and the body’s response to stress.
One branch—the sympathetic nervous system—is associated with a more activated or “fight-or-flight” state. The parasympathetic nervous system supports the body’s more restorative “rest-and-recover” state.
After the AVACEN session, the participant’s sympathetic-related measure decreased by 21%, while her parasympathetic-related measure increased by 67%. Together, these measurements suggest a short-term shift toward greater parasympathetic influence.
Circulation changed on both sides
Circulation-related measurements also increased in both hands. Bilateral Flow Gain increased by 31% on the left and 27% on the right, while Perfusion Index—a measure related to blood reaching peripheral tissue—increased by 59%.
This bilateral response is noteworthy because AVACEN was applied locally to the hand, while circulation-related changes were detected on both sides.
The participant also reported feeling better after the session: her total wellness score increased from 26 to 47, representing an 81% improvement.
This case describes the immediate response of one individual. It does not mean that everyone using AVACEN will experience the same changes, but it provides an interesting example of several physiological and self-reported measures changing together after a single session.
