Tundra Space

Tundra Space

Clinical Research Directory

Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.

Back to Studies
COMPLETED
NCT04403165
NA

Locus-coeruleus Function in Normal Elderly and AD Risk

Sponsor: NYU Langone Health

View on ClinicalTrials.gov

Summary

Growing evidence suggests that Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological changes begin decades before clinical symptoms and tau abnormalities in the locus coeruleus (LC) can be observed since midlife. We have previously demonstrated functional vulnerability of the LC to aging and stress, as well as an association between higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and impaired sleep phenomena influenced by the LC. We now aim to test whether LC dysfunction can be measured in preclinical AD stages by LC targeted imaging, and whether it objectively affects sleep architecture and attention. We will test this hypothesis in 30 cognitively normal older adults by performing a full clinical evaluation, one night of polysomnography, a lumbar puncture to obtain cerebrospinal fluid, \[11C\]MRB PET-MR, and attention testing. This study has the potential to identify a new mechanism by which tau pathology contributes to sleep and attention dysfunction and may provide a new therapeutic target for AD prevention.

Key Details

Gender

All

Age Range

55 Years - 75 Years

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Enrollment

30

Start Date

2020-08-06

Completion Date

2024-03-26

Last Updated

2026-05-28

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG)

Nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) to measure REM sleep and sleep spindles characteristics.

PROCEDURE

Lumbar Puncture (LP)

Lumbar puncture (LP) to measure CSF P-Tau, T-Tau and Aβ42/40 ratio.

OTHER

PET-MR measurement with a norepinephrine transporter (NET)-selective radiotracer (S,S)-[11C]Omethylreboxetine ([11C]MRB)

PET-MR measurement with a norepinephrine transporter (NET)-selective radiotracer (S,S)-\[11C\]O-methylreboxetine (\[11C\]MRB) to measure NET availability.

BEHAVIORAL

Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT)

Psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and the OddBall to measure test taskattention performance.

Locations (2)

NYU Grossman School of Medicine

New York, New York, United States

Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai

New York, New York, United States