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Increasing Mitochondrial Respiration as a Novel Mechanism for Cognitive Augmentation (MITOCOG)

26 de agosto de 2026 atualizado por: Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, PhD
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of increasing brain energy on cognition. The hypothesis is that by using a special kind of light, in combination with a nutritional supplement, it may be possible to increase energy production in the brain, which may lead to improvements in cognition.

Visão geral do estudo

Status

Ainda não está recrutando

Condições

Intervenção / Tratamento

Descrição detalhada

The Gonzalez-Lima Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin is recruiting participants for a research study. The study examines whether a combined treatment can improve cognitive function. The treatment includes transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), a form of light therapy applied to the forehead, along with a dietary supplement. The treatment targets an enzyme called cytochrome-c-oxidase, which plays a key role in how the mitochondria inside brain cells use oxygen to produce energy. As people age, this process often becomes less efficient, contributing to cognitive decline seen in normal aging and in neurodegenerative diseases. The hypothesis is that improving mitochondrial function and cytochrome-c-oxidase activity will boost neuronal energy production and reduce oxidative stress, ultimately enhancing cognitive performance. Previous studies from the Gonzalez-Lima Lab found that applying tPBM to the prefrontal cortex improves brain metabolic activity and enhances cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and executive function. The dietary supplement provides an alternative energy source derived from ketones, which mitochondria can use for oxygen metabolism. This may help bypass the impaired glucose metabolism often seen in aging brains, potentially leading to further cognitive improvements. This study will investigate the cognitive effects of this combined treatment in adults ages 18 to 85. During the first visit to the lab, participants will complete informed consent, health questionnaires, and cognitive assessments, and wear sensors on the head which monitor brain activity. They will also be trained to use a headset device which uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to deliver light to the forehead. They will be given daily supplements and instructed on how to maintain a daily log for at-home treatments. Then, for the next two months, participants will complete the daily protocol at home. Weekly check-ins will monitor progress throughout this period. After two months, participants will return to repeat the assessments from the first visit and return their study materials. Participants will receive $200 upon completing the study, and parking expenses will be reimbursed for each visit. Briefly, one aim will be to map the relationship between baseline prefrontal functional connectivity and dimensional performance in cognitive control and affective processing. Another aim will be to evaluate mechanistic efficacy of chronic tPBM in engaging prefrontal circuits and restoring task-based behavioral performance. A final aim is to model the longitudinal relationship between prefrontal circuit health and real-world sleep, circadian stability, and neuroendocrine regulation. By focusing on target-driven biobehavioral mechanisms, this study aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and establish scalable biomarker pipelines.

Tipo de estudo

Intervencional

Inscrição (Estimado)

180

Estágio

  • Não aplicável

Contactos e Locais

Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.

Contato de estudo

Locais de estudo

    • Texas
      • Austin, Texas, Estados Unidos, 78712
        • The University of Texas at Austin

Critérios de participação

Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.

Critérios de elegibilidade

Idades elegíveis para estudo

  • Adulto
  • Adulto mais velho

Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis

Sim

Descrição

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age: 18-85 years old
  • No uncorrected visual, auditory, or motor impairments that would interfere with performing cognitive tasks

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Transcranial photobiomodulation in the last six weeks
  • Diabetes
  • Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant
  • Breastfeeding or plans to breastfeed
  • Major depressive disorder
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Suicidal ideation within the past 6 months
  • Plans for serious medical procedures in the next 3 months
  • Serious hepatic or liver-related conditions
  • History of neurotrauma (e.g., brain lesions or traumatic brain injury)
  • Presently on a ketogenic diet

Plano de estudo

Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.

Como o estudo é projetado?

Detalhes do projeto

  • Finalidade Principal: Outro
  • Alocação: Randomizado
  • Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição fatorial
  • Mascaramento: Quadruplicar

Armas e Intervenções

Grupo de Participantes / Braço
Intervenção / Tratamento
Comparador Ativo: Arm 1: active tPBM, active MCT dietary supplementation
Participants in this arm will receive active transcranial photobiomodulation to the forehead, targeting prefrontal cortex, and active dietary supplementation with refined coconut oil to provide ketones.
Infrared light delivered to the forehead, administered with a headset using light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Commercially-available food-grade refined coconut oil for ketogenic dietary supplementation
Comparador Falso: Arm 2: sham tPBM, sham dietary supplementation
Participants in this arm will undergo the same procedures as the active group, but with sham photobiomodulation (5% of experimental light emitted by the device) and sham dietary supplementation with sunflower oil (comparable caloric value without ketone production).
Identical procedure as active group, but with 5% of light emitted by the device.
Identical appearance and administration as active dietary supplementation, but with commercially-available food-grade sunflower oil (comparable caloric value without ketone production).

O que o estudo está medindo?

Medidas de resultados primários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Cognitive assessment: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Prazo: The MoCA will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment is a standard questionnaire which was developed to test for cognitive impairment. The MoCA assesses a variety of cognitive functions including executive function, memory, attention, and verbal fluency. Minimum=0; Maximum=30; low score=more impairment.
The MoCA will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
Cognitive assessment: Trail-Making Test
Prazo: The TMT will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
The trail-making test (TMT) is a paper-and-pencil "connect-the-dots" task which is used to test visual attention and cognitive flexibility. Completion time (seconds) and number of errors are recorded. Faster time and lower errors=better performance. Maximum time alloted=300 seconds.
The TMT will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
Brain metabolism assessment: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)
Prazo: The fNIRS procedure will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
Participants wear a device on the head which assesses brain metabolism non-invasively using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The device records changes in the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
The fNIRS procedure will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)

Medidas de resultados secundários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Cognitive assessment: 2-Back Task
Prazo: The 2-back task will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
The 2-back task is a standard computer-based test that assesses attention and short-term memory, in which participants remember a series of letters presented onscreen. Accuracy (number of errors) and speed (reaction time in seconds) are recorded. Faster time and lower errors=better performance. Duration: 5 minutes.
The 2-back task will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
Cognitive assessment: Delayed Match-to-Sample Task (DMS)
Prazo: The DMS will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
The DMS is a standard computer-based test that assesses visuospatial memory and attention, in which participants remember a grid pattern through a delay and then identify the correct match. Number of correct responses and reaction time in seconds are measured. Faster time and lower errors=better performance. Duration=5 minutes.
The DMS will be administered: 1. Pre-treatment (during Visit 1); 2. Post-treatment (Visit 2, two months later)
Weekly check-in
Prazo: Once per week during treatment
Open response, verification of compliance of treatment
Once per week during treatment
Follow-up
Prazo: One month after Visit 2
Open response of any long-term effects of treatment
One month after Visit 2

Colaboradores e Investigadores

É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.

Patrocinador

Publicações e links úteis

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Datas de registro do estudo

Essas datas acompanham o progresso do registro do estudo e os envios de resumo dos resultados para ClinicalTrials.gov. Os registros do estudo e os resultados relatados são revisados ​​pela National Library of Medicine (NLM) para garantir que atendam aos padrões específicos de controle de qualidade antes de serem publicados no site público.

Datas Principais do Estudo

Início do estudo (Estimado)

1 de outubro de 2026

Conclusão Primária (Estimado)

1 de dezembro de 2029

Conclusão do estudo (Estimado)

1 de maio de 2030

Datas de inscrição no estudo

Enviado pela primeira vez

19 de agosto de 2026

Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ

26 de agosto de 2026

Primeira postagem (Real)

28 de agosto de 2026

Atualizações de registro de estudo

Última Atualização Postada (Real)

28 de agosto de 2026

Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade

26 de agosto de 2026

Última verificação

1 de agosto de 2026

Mais Informações

Termos relacionados a este estudo

Outros números de identificação do estudo

  • STUDY00009139

Plano para dados de participantes individuais (IPD)

Planeja compartilhar dados de participantes individuais (IPD)?

SIM

Descrição do plano IPD

What data will be shared? Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this study, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices). A data dictionary, including a description of the variables and types of data, collected for each individual, will be provided. This data will include anonymized individual participant demographic information and all outcome variables (cognitive task data, spectroscopy data).

Prazo de Compartilhamento de IPD

Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication.

Critérios de acesso de compartilhamento IPD

The raw data will be made available by the researchers upon reasonable request by any qualified doctoral researcher (PhD, MD). They will be granted access by contacting the corresponding author/principal investigator (F. Gonzalez-Lima, utcognitivestudy@gmail.com). It will be made available to qualified researchers whose proposed use of the data has been approved by an independent review committee (Institutional Review Board) identified for the purpose of individual participant data meta-analysis. Proposals may be submitted up to 36 months following article publication. After 36 months, the data will be available in our University's shared network drive, but without investigator support other than deposited metadata.

Tipo de informação de suporte de compartilhamento de IPD

  • PROTOCOLO DE ESTUDO

Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo

Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Essas informações foram obtidas diretamente do site clinicaltrials.gov sem nenhuma alteração. Se você tiver alguma solicitação para alterar, remover ou atualizar os detalhes do seu estudo, entre em contato com register@clinicaltrials.gov. Assim que uma alteração for implementada em clinicaltrials.gov, ela também será atualizada automaticamente em nosso site .