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In Vivo Noradrenergic System and Aging
Sponsor: Hospices Civils de Lyon
Summary
The main goal of this research proposal is to provide, for the first time in humans, a wider understanding of the role of the noradrenergic system both in health and illness (here Parkinson's disease) through the use of a newly developed radiotracer visualizing alpha2C-ARs (\[11C\]ORM-13070) combined with a cutting-edge technology, the hybrid PET/MRI scanner. The secondary aim will be to determine whether the expected age- and PD-related changes in the noradrenergic system are paralleled by changes in neuropsychological performances (i.e. cognitive, motor and/or olfactory abilities).
Official title: Diving Into the in Vivo Noradrenergic System : Role of the alpha2C-adrenergic Receptors
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
20 Years - 80 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
165
Start Date
2026-06-29
Completion Date
2029-09
Last Updated
2026-07-09
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
PET/MRI scanning session
Each participant will undergo 45 min of PET/MRI recording that will begin immediately after an intravenous bolus injection of \[11C\]ORM-13070 (350 MBq ± 10%) and will last for 45 minutes in a resting state. During this time, MRI acquisition will include several MRI sequences: 1) One sagittal MP-RAGE sequence of high-resolution anatomical 3D T1-weighted images (5 min); 2) One 3D T2 FLAIR sequence (5 min); (3) One turbo spin-echo (TSE) neuromelanin-sensitive sequence (7 min, Garcia-Lorenzo et al., 2013); 3) One echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence in the axial plane (15 min duration) to acquire diffusion images; and 4) One 13-min resting-state fMRI run using high resolution T2\* weighted gradient-echo EPI sequences covering the entire brain and including the lower brainstem.
Neuropsychological examination
A battery of neuropsychological tests will assess cognitive, emotional, and sensory domains linked to noradrenaline function. Participants will complete the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for global cognitive function, the Digit Span and Free Recall tests for memory, the Trail Making, Tower of London and Stroop tests for executive functioning, Beck Depression Inventory for mood, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for anxiety, the Epworth and RBD screening questionnaire for sleep, the visual analog and Kings PD scales for pain, the Lille Apathy Rating Scale for apathy, the VOSP for visuo-spatial capacity, the PDFS-16 for fatigue, the UPPS for impulsivity, and the SCOPA-AUT for autonomic assessment.
Olfactory screening
An olfactory screening (30-40 min) using the extended ODOFIN (BURGHART) Sniffin' Sticks Test battery (Burghart Messtechnik Denmark). This battery consists of 3 tests: The threshold (T) test has 48 Sniffin' Sticks (32 blanks and 16 dilutions with 2-Phenylethanol) and is used to ascertain the participant's olfactory threshold. The discrimination (D) test consists of 48 Sniffin' Sticks (16 triplets of odorants) where the participant must tell the odd one out in the triplet. The identification (I) test consists of 16 Sniffin' Sticks with everyday smells which the participant has to name using a selection card containing four choices. Together, these make up the TDI score.
Locations (1)
Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer - Service de Neurologie
Bron, France