Investigating Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus nerve stimulation as a strategy to prevent Cognitive Aging. Tackling 3 basic questions.

The number of people with Alzheimer’s disorder (AD) and other dementia is expected to triple worldwide by 2050.

To tackle the global burden of AD, the European Parliament acknowledges and points to the urgent need to develop interventions that can prevent or delay AD.

The locus coeruleus (LC) in the brainstem plays a key role in determining late-life cognitive decline and is considered a promising therapeutic target to prevent AD.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a neuromodulation tool hypothesized to increase LC activity and, in turn, prevent cognitive aging.

Evidence for an effect of taVNS on the LC is mixed which undermines the discovery of taVNS as a preventive strategy for AD. The current project aims to reveal whether taVNS increases LC activity in young and older adults. To this end, I will address 3 research questions. First, do short bursts of taVNS increase LC activity in a parametric-dependent manner in both young and older adults?

Second, does the effect of taVNS on LC activity depend on the individual’s background arousal state? Third, does a short taVNS intervention improve a cognitive function that relies on LC activity?

Addressing these questions is key to learn how to effectively activate the LC through taVNS and validate the mechanism through which taVNS may prevent AD.

The project adopts a novel interdisciplinary approach integrating knowledge from psychophysiology (sub-field: respiratory psychophysiology), gerontology (cognitive neuroscience of aging), and neurostimulation (taVNS). As a taVNS and LC expert, I am particularly suited to successfully conduct the project.

The fellowship will provide an exceptional chance to expand my expertise and receive top-quality training from internationally established experts in the fields of cognitive neuroscience of aging and respiratory psychophysiology. It will also allow me to establish my independent research line, develop my career, and expand my scientific network.