Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable

The Locus Coeruleus, Norepinephrine and Cognitive Aging

United States150 participantsStarted 2025-06-01

Plain-language 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.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years

SexALL

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Inclusion Criteria: * 18+ years of age * Able to speak and understand English * Hearing and vision correctable to normal or near-normal * Willing and able to use a touchscreen * Willing and able to use a keyboard and mouse * Willing and able to undergo a MRI scan at the Cornell MRI Facility lasting approximately 90 minutes. Exclusion Criteria: * Moderate or severe brain injury * Serious neurological disorders such as epilepsy * Recent concussion * Colorblindness * Use of street drugs * Cardiac arrhythmias

What they're measuring

Tonic pupil size in mm

Timeframe: 15-45 minutes

Heart rate variability

Timeframe: 15-45 minutes

Discriminability index on tests including the attentional boost effect task

Timeframe: 15-45 minutes

Phasic pupillary responses in mm

Timeframe: 15-45 minutes

Reaction time on tests including the attentional boost effect task

Timeframe: 15-45 minutes

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06880510

SponsorCornell University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-07-01

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