Sleep drug may unlock Brain's natural garbage disposal
NCT ID NCT07432997
First seen Jun 27, 2026 ยท Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a medication used for sleep can boost the brain's natural waste-clearing system, called the glymphatic system, in healthy older adults. The goal was to see if this approach could help remove harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. Thirty-one participants received controlled sleep treatments and blood tests to measure protein clearance. The study is exploratory and aims to understand if this strategy could support future Alzheimer's therapies.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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31 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2023
- Finished
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Sep 2024
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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55 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Potential participants must satisfy the following criteria to be enrolled in the study: 1. In the opinion of the Principal Investigator, participants must be fluent in English and be able to understand the informed consent form approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). All participants must sign the study informed consent document indicating that they understand the purpose of procedures required for the study and are willing to participate in the study prior to any study procedures being performed. 2. Participants may be men or women, age 55 - 65 years (inclusive). Enrollment will target equal number of men and women participants. 3. Participants must have a MoCA score at least 26 for in-person assessment or 19 for over-the-phone assessment, unless waived by decision of the PI. 4. Participants must have a GDS-15 score of 4 or less. 5. Participants must provide an address and phone number where they can be accessible to the Study team for follow up. 6. Participants must agree to wear the GF Monitor per the Study Phase under baseline and dexmedetomidine infusion and be willing to complete all other aspects of the protocol. Exclusion Criteria: * Potential participants who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from participating in the study: 1. Participants with a formal diagnosis of any sleep disorder (e.g., sleep apnea on PAP therapy, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, parasomnia). 2. Participants with a history of significant neurological disease or history of epilepsy. 3. Participants with cardiovascular disease or hypertension. 4. Participants with diabetes. 5. Participants with traumatic brain injury, or serious mental illness including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. 6. Participants who have taken in the past 30 days prescribed or over-the-counter (OTC) stimulants, sleeping medications, or psychiatric medications including antidepressants. 7. Participants who consume more than 400 mg/day of caffeine. Participants will be required to not consume caffeine on the day-of the sleep study. 8. Female Participants who consume more than 3 alcoholic drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week. Male participants who consume more than 4 alcoholic drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week. 9. Participants who are enrolled in other research studies and are receiving an investigational drug within 30 days of the planned start date for visit 1. 10. Participants who have any condition that, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, would compromise the well-being of the participant or the study or prevent the participant from meeting or performing study requirements. 11. Participants who have a pre-planned surgery or medical procedure that would interfere with the conduct of the study. 12. Participants with a serious infection requiring medical attention in the past 30 days. 13. Any significant neurological impairment in the opinion of the Principal Investigator that would affect the GF Monitor data. 14. Participants with a diagnosis of substance use-disorder in the past 2 years. 15. Participants with urinary retention or requiring to void several times during the night
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, California, 94305, United States
-
Washington State University
Spokane, Washington, 99164, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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