NORENDeR v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Noradrenaline reuptake evaluation in neurodegeneration, dementia and related disorders
IRAS ID
302656
Contact name
Rowe James
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
A096063,
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Changes in the brain’s natural adrenaline (called noradrenaline) happen in many diseases, especially “wear and tear” on the ageing brain called neurodegenerative disease. These include Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease but also others. The loss of the ability to make noradrenaline causes some of the psychiatric and behavioural symptoms that commonly affect patients. New treatments for these symptoms need better ways to measure the state of the noradrenaline parts of the brain, to identify which individuals are more likely to benefit from noradrenaline-based treatments. Some of these treatments are ready for clinical trials. To measure the brain’s ability to make noradrenaline, we can use a type of scanning called positron emission tomography (PET). This uses an injection of a special dye, which lights up only the noradrenaline parts of the brain, using a very small dose of radioactivity. The dye measures what is called the “noradrenaline reuptake transporter” (NET) which is used to recycle noradrenaline in the brain. We will test the effect of different diseases in this noradrenaline function of brain health, in patients living with the illness and healthy people. We will test whether the changes in noradrenaline are related to severity of disease, and different symptoms. This information will inform clinical trials of new therapies, including the development and targeting of noradrenergic-based approaches.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EE/0003
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion