Cerebromicrovascular Effects of Time-Restricted Eating in Older Adults

June 25, 2026 updated by: University of Oklahoma
The central hypothesis of this study is that closer adherence to time restricted eating (TRE) will improve endothelial function, neurovascular (NVC) responses, resulting in improved cognitive performance, potentially through activation of SIRT1-dependent vasoprotective pathways.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This hypothesis will be tested by assessing the effect of TRE (not more than 10hr eating window each day for 6 months) in healthy adults (≥21 years of age).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

11

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 73117
        • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

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

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥21 years
  • Adequate hearing and visual acuity to participate in examinations
  • Ability to read and write in English
  • Competence to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Vision or hearing impairment that would impair the ability to complete study assessments
  • Active CNS disease including multiple sclerosis, uncontrolled seizures, and active brain cancer
  • Cerebrovascular accident other than TIA within 60 days prior to screening
  • Any other medical condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant inappropriate or too unstable to complete the study protocol

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: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Time restricted eating
14 h of fasting daily (10 h of free eating)
Behavioral: Time restricted eating
14:10 daily fasting regimen

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurovascular Coupling Using Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be performed during the cognitive n-back task. fNIRS approach generates data that represent a relative change in oxygenated hemoglobin measured over the cortical brain tissues. fNIRS data is analyzed using a pipeline based on the General Linear Model (GLM) approach created using the Brain AnalyzIR toolbox and implemented in MatLab. At the subject level, regression coefficients (beta values) are extracted to characterize individual neurovascular coupling response in the prefrontal cortex across all n-back blocks. It is expected that more difficult cognitive tasks will lead to increased neurovascular coupling responses in healthy individuals, but no clinically relevant ranges exist for this measure.
Baseline, 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurovascular Coupling Using the Dynamic Retinal Vessel Analysis
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Flicker light-induced dilation of the retinal vessels (percentage increase over baseline diameter) will be measured in the right or left eye of each study participant using the Dynamic Vessel Analyzer (DVA, IMEDOS Systems, Jena, Germany). The change in retinal vessel diameters is tracked and reported as a %change from baseline, before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Neurovascular Coupling Using Transcranial Doppler
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Transcranial Doppler sonography will be used to measure the change in the blood flow velocities during the cognitive n-back task between before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Microvascular Endothelial Function
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Changes in microvascular endothelial function will be assessed using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) in the hand using the flow mediated dilation approach. The change in skin perfusion is calculated and reported as a fold change from baseline.
Baseline, 6 months
Macrovascular Endothelial Function
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Changes in macrovascular endothelial function will be assessed using sonography during flow mediated dilation approach. The change in brachial artery diameter is calculated and reported as a %change from baseline.
Baseline, 6 months
Deep Tissue Oxygen Saturation
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Transcutaneous deep tissue oxygen saturation will be measured using the inSpectra near infrared device. The data are calculated and reported as a %change from baseline.
Baseline, 6 months
Arterial Stiffness
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
The arterial stiffness will be measured using the pulse wave analysis approach (SphygmoCor, Atcor medical, Itasca IL, or similar). Analysis generated the augmentation index which will be used for comparison before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
ECG
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
ECG will be recorded for heart rate variability analysis. The values of high frequency domain, low frequency domain, their ratio, as well as total power will be calculated and used for comparison before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Glycocalyx - Perfused Boundary Region
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Video recordings of the sublingual vasculature will be performed using the high definition video camera GlycoCheck (Microvascular health solutions). Data collected will include perfused boundary region (um), and will be used for comparison before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Capillary Density
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Video recordings of the sublingual vasculature will be performed using the high definition video camera GlycoCheck (Microvascular health solutions). Data collected will include capillary density (mm/mm^2), and will be used for comparison before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Red Blood Cell Velocity
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Video recordings of the sublingual vasculature will be performed using the high definition video camera GlycoCheck (Microvascular health solutions). Data collected will include red blood cell velocity (um/sec), and will be used for comparison before and after treatment.
Baseline, 6 months
Inhibitory Control and Attention
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test was used to assess inhibitory control and attention. The participant is asked to focus on a particular stimulus while inhibiting attention to the stimuli flanking it. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months
Episodic Memory
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Picture Sequence Memory Test was used to assess episodic memory. Participants are shown a number of activities, and then asked to reproduce the sequence of pictures as it was presented to them. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months
Working Memory
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
List Sorting Working Memory Test was used to assess working memory. The participant is asked to recall and sequence different stimuli that are presented visually and via audio. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months
Language
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Picture Vocabulary Test measures receptive vocabulary administered in a computer-adaptive test (CAT) format. Respondents select the picture that most closely matches the meaning of the word. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months
Executive Function
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Dimensional Change Card Sort Test was used to assess cognitive flexibility and attention. The participant is asked to match a series of picture pairs to a target picture. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months
Processing Speed
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months
Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test was used to assess processing speed. Participants are asked to quickly determine whether two stimuli are the same or not the same. Scores are fully adjusted to nationally representative normative sample of NIH toolbox test takers, accounting for age, sex, race, and education (mean = 50; SD = 10). Higher scores represent better outcomes.
Baseline, 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Oklahoma

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Stefano Tarantini, PhD, University of Oklahoma

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)

November 17, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 10, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

January 10, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 22, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

August 4, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 25, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 14856

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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