Biomarkers in the Locus Coeruleus and Early Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease
Official title: Biomarkers of the Locus Coeruleus Nucleus: Links With Early Tau Pathology, Cognition and Alzheimer's Disease Risk.
Run by University Hospital, Toulouse · NCT07007208 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether MRI, eye-tracking, and a tau PET scan in healthy older adults can reveal early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s risk, especially in people with the APOE4 gene.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 60 Years to 100 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Toulouse Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toulouse) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 2, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2029 |
| Study ends | January 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | July 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07007208 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults over 60 enrolled in the INSPIRE-T cohort, with MMSE ≥ 27, normal vision and motor function, and APOE4 status known (half positive, half negative).
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with contraindications to MRI or PET, ophthalmologic limitations affecting oculometry, neurodegenerative disease, or psychiatric illness requiring treatment may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This phase 2 interventional study investigates biomarkers of locus coeruleus integrity and function and their relationship to tau pathology and cognitive performance in over-60 adults without dementia. Participants undergo tau PET imaging, MRI, oculometry, and comprehensive cognitive testing, with half carrying APOE4. The goal is to see if LC-related measures can serve as early indicators of Alzheimer’s risk and help explain how tau pathology develops before clinical symptoms. The study will relate LC biomarkers to future AD risk and to cerebral tau deposition and assess their potential as proxies for early diagnosis. A healthy cohort from INSPIRE-T will be used to explore these biomarkers in vivo.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help identify early biomarkers of Alzheimer’s risk and inform earlier intervention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in LC-related biomarkers and tau imaging, but direct links to AD risk in asymptomatic older adults are still developing.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participant in the INSPIRE-T cohort * Normal cognitive assessment * MMSE score ≥ 27 out of 30 (Mini-Mental State Examination) * Normal visual abilities (in corrected or uncorrected vision) * Normal motor skills Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects with a contraindication to MRI exam * Subjects with a known allergic reaction to the PET radiopharmaceutical (\[18F\] Flortaucipir) or any of its excipients * Subjects with an ophthalmological pathology making oculometric measurements difficult * Subjects with a neurodegenerative condition or a history of cerebral ischemia * Subjects with a psychiatric disorder and a PHQ-9 score \> 10 or under treatment with NRI
Where it's running
-
University Hospital of Toulouse
Toulouse, France Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: PAYOUX P Pierre, MD
- Email: payoux.p@chu-toulouse.fr
- Phone: +33 (0)562746169
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Blood biomarker cohort for memory disorders in older adults
This observational cohort will collect blood samples and brain imaging data from adults 50+ with memory disorders and a small group of healthy young adults to help find biomarkers.
-
Tau changes after hip or knee replacement surgery
Researchers will see if brain tau changes after hip or knee surgery and whether these changes relate to inflammation and thinking abilities.
-
Low-Dose Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy With HeLaXON 1X in Mild Alzheimer's Dementia
This study will test whether a low-dose brain radiation treatment using HeLaXON helps people with mild Alzheimer's dementia improve or stabilize thinking and daily function.
-
Cervical lymphatic surgery to see if it helps people with mild Alzheimer’s
We’re testing a surgical approach in people with mild Alzheimer’s to see if creating alternative neck lymph drainage routes can affect brain biomarkers and daily function.
-
Transcranial random noise stimulation for behavioral and psychological symptoms in Alzheimer's disease
This trial tests whether high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation can help people with early Alzheimer's disease who have BPSD, compared to a sham treatment.
-
Testing LY4405094 in healthy people and people with Alzheimer’s disease
This study tests LY4405094 to see if it is safe and how it behaves in the body, including how it reaches the brain fluid in healthy participants and how it affects a brain protein in people with Alzheimer's disease.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.