Decentering, a mindfulness‐related quality, involves an individual’s inherent ability to recognize thoughts as simply psychological stimuli and accept a distant perspective. This includes understanding that thoughts and emotions are transient, rather than permanent associations of the individual. Previous studies have concluded that improvements in anxiety following an MBSR protocol were related to an increased ability to decenter. However, it is currently unknown how the ability to decenter might influence wave reflection and arterial stiffness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if a higher ability to decenter would be associated with lower arterial stiffness. Twenty‐eight individuals (23±6 years) volunteered to participate in this study. All participants had a BMI less than 30 kg/m2, and reported no history of smoking, taking cardiovascular medication, or having diabetes. Subjects were instructed not to consume alcohol, caffeine, or exercise for 12 hours before, and to abstain from food three hours before testing. We performed applanation tonometry with a SphygmoCor system for pulse wave analysis (PWA) at the radial artery, and carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) at the respective arteries to estimate arterial stiffness. Participants also completed an 11‐item decentering questionnaire to objectify their ability to disconnect from their emotions. The Spielberger state‐trait anxiety inventory and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) were also completed. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistical software for a median analysis on the ability to decenter, and for independent‐samples t‐tests. Means were considered significantly different when p<0.05. A higher ability to decenter was associated with a significantly lower aortic augmentation index (AIx, 8 ± 4 vs. −1 ± 3%, p<0.05), while cfPWV tended to be lower in those who scored higher on the decentering questionnaire (p=0.07). Our results in a small cross‐sectional sample indicate that the ability to decenter may be associated with lower cardiovascular risk factors such as AIx. Previous studies with very large sample sizes indicate that there is a moderate correlation between AIx and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Our preliminary results are promising in regard to how the ability to decenter may reduce cardiovascular risk. Support or Funding Information This project was partially supported by a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute award to John J. Durocher (1R15HL140596‐01).

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Eccentric exercise is shown to offer musculoskeletal benefits in multiple populations, but little is known about the effect of chronic dynamic eccentric exercise training in older adults concerning functional physical fitness and cardiovascular health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if twelve weeks of dynamic eccentric leg exercise (Eccentron) could improve functional fitness and reduce arterial stiffness. Thirteen older adults (ages 65–79 years; M = 70±1) performed dynamic eccentric leg exercise twice per week at a light to somewhat hard rating of perceived exertion. Exercise duration increased from five minutes per session in the first week to 25 minutes per session during the final week. Timed up and go test significantly improved from pre‐ to post‐training (5.7±0.2 vs. 5.3±0.1 s; p<0.05). Likewise, Berg Balance Score was statistically (p<0.05) improved from pre‐ to post‐training. Participants demonstrated non‐significant increases in single‐leg knee extensor strength (43.0±2.6 vs. 45.2±2.8 kg; p=0.26). Aortic arterial stiffness, assessed via carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity, did not change from pre‐ to post‐eccentric exercise training (8.6±0.7 vs. 9.2±0.5 m/s; p=0.44). Similarly, leg arterial stiffness, assessed as femoral to dorsalis pedis pulse wave velocity, was unchanged (9.9±0.8 vs. 9.2±0.5 m/s; p=0.31). Our results demonstrate how 12‐weeks of eccentric training can positively influence functional physical fitness measures in older adults without a negative influence on arterial stiffness. Significant improvements in timed up and go and the Berg Balance Score, and non‐significant increases in leg extensor strength, suggests that older adults could improve their agility and balance, and reduce their risk of falling through eccentric leg exercise.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the Portage Health Foundation and Michigan Tech Research Excellence Fund.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.