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The Locus Coeruleus, Norepinephrine and Cognitive Aging
Sponsor: Cornell University
Summary
The locus coeruleus (LC) has recently been identified as one of the earliest sites of damage in AD with pathological lesions appearing as early as the mid-20s. In this study, the investigators use a variety of techniques including structural MRI, functional MRI, pupillometry, and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation to assess the health of the LC and its relation to easily measurable peripheral variables.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
150
Start Date
2025-06-01
Completion Date
2026-07-01
Last Updated
2026-02-03
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
t-VNS transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulator
An investigator will clip the the transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulator (taVNS) to the outer ear, and apply electrical current to modulate the activity of the vagus nerve. During this process, the investigator will monitor pupil size and heart rate to determine whether either of these variables is affected by vagus nerve stimulation.
Locations (1)
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York, United States