Locus-coeruleus Function in Normal Elderly and AD Risk (LEAD)

May 26, 2026 updated by: NYU Langone Health
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.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is three-fold: to test whether lower NET availability in the LC is associated with: first, CSF tau levels typical of preclinical stages of AD (Aim 1); second, reduced REM and spindle density (Aim 2); and third, impaired performance on attention tasks (Aim 3). The goal is to test the overarching hypothesis that LC dysfunction occurs in preclinical AD stages, can be measured with MRB-PET, and translates into impairment of sleep architecture (LC tonic dysfunction) and attention (LC phasic dysfunction).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10029
        • Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai
      • New York, New York, United States, 10016
        • NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

60 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male and female subjects with normal cognition and 55-75 years of age will be enrolled.
  • Subjects will be within normal limits on neurological and psychiatric examinations.
  • All subjects enrolled will have a CDR of 0. This will be evaluated through a clinical interview administered by a study physician (informant interview will not be required).
  • All subjects will have had a minimum of 12 years of education.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of brain tumor, MRI evidence of brain damage or brain disease including significant trauma, hydrocephalus, seizures, stroke, mental retardation or other serious neurological disorder (e.g. Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders).
  • Significant history of alcoholism or drug abuse.
  • Significant history of psychiatric illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar, PTSD, or life-long history of major depression).
  • Geriatric Depression Scale (short form)>6.
  • Insulin dependent diabetes.
  • Evidence of clinically relevant cardiac, pulmonary, endocrine or hematological conditions.
  • Physical impairment of such severity as to adversely affect the validity of psychological testing.
  • Any prosthetic devices (e.g., pacemaker or surgical clips) that constitutes a hazard for MRI imaging.
  • History of a first-degree family member with early onset (age <60 years) dementia.
  • Irregular sleep-wake rhythms (based on the actigraphy recordings) or significant OSA (AHI4%≥15).
  • Taking Coumadin/warfarin and/or medications affecting cognition or sleep.
  • Failure to complete all study visit within 4 months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Cognitively Normal (CN) Older Adults
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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Methylreboxetine (MRB)-LC Mean Standardized Uptake Value Ratio (SUVR) Values
Time Frame: Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)
Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)
Mean Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) Reaction Time
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
PVT measures the reaction speed to a randomly time-occuring visual stimuli, allowing the assessment of several aspects of attention including response times, attention lapses and false starts.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Total Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Duration (Min)
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
REM sleep is derived from in-laboratory nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) sleep study.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Percentage of Time Spent in REM Sleep
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
REM sleep is derived from in-laboratory nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) sleep study.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
REM Sleep Continuity
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Reported as percentage of REM runs that are less than 5, greater than or equal to 5 and greater than or equal to 10 minutes.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Number of sleep spindles that occur per minute during the N2 stage of sleep (N2 Spindle Density)
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
N2 Spindle Density is derived from in-laboratory nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) sleep study.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Mean picture test response time
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
The "Picture" test is used to measure the strength of the participants' memory by using a series of images. Before sleep, participants identify whether or not the image was inside or outside and whether or not the picture was emotional or neutral to them. After sleep, the participant will be shown images where some are new and some are old and asked whether or not they saw them before sleep. The images are selected from The International Affective Picture System.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
Percentage of Correct Responses on the picture test
Time Frame: Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)
The "Picture" test is used to measure the strength of the participants' memory by using a series of images. Before sleep, participants identify whether or not the image was inside or outside and whether or not the picture was emotional or neutral to them. After sleep, the participant will be shown images where some are new and some are old and asked whether or not they saw them before sleep. The images are selected from The International Affective Picture System.
Visit 3 (1-4 weeks after Visit 2)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Levels of Hyperphosphorylated Tau (P-Tau, T-Tau)
Time Frame: Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)
Levels will be derived from the CSF and reported in pg/mL
Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Aβ42/Aβ40 Ratio
Time Frame: Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)
The presence of amyloid plaques will be represented as the binary indicator of a CSF Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio
Visit 4 (1-4 weeks after LP)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
NYU Langone Health

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ricardo Osorio, NYU Langone Health

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 6, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 26, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 26, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 21, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 21, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 27, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 26, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 20-00002
  • 1R21AG067549-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All of the individual participant data collected during the trial, after deidentification.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Immediately following publication. No end date.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

The investigator who proposed to use the ricardo.osorio@nyulangone.org. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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