Imaging Brain Fluids During Breathing

Purpose

This study will perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of hemodynamics and cerebrospinal fluid flow across breathing tasks and during breath-locked neuromodulation.

Condition

  • Healthy

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 70 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Adult age 18-70 years

Exclusion Criteria

  • No ferrous metal implanted in head or body - No history of major head trauma - No neurological or psychiatric disorder - Not using medication that affects brain function - No implanted electronic devices (e.g. pacemaker) - No implant that poses an MR contraindication - Not pregnant, suspect they are pregnant, or seeking to become pregnant - Not claustrophobic - No piercings or jewelry that cannot be removed - Does not weigh more than 250 pounds - Normal or contact-corrected normal vision Exclusion for transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) arm: - Conditions of skin or anatomy that affect left auricle or forehead skin and could impact placement of electrodes for tVNS or forehead stimulation - Diagnosis of significant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease [e.g. congestive heart failure, stroke, cardiac conduction disorders (including: bundle branch block, heart block, long Q-T syndrome), history of asystole or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. - Bradycardia (defined as resting heart rate <50 bpm) - Hypotension defined as blood pressure <90/60 mmHg

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Breath task 		Participants will breathe in specific patterns.
  • Behavioral: Breathing task
    Participants will be asked to breathe in specific patterns.
Experimental
Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation 		Participants will receive transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation in specific patterns.
  • Device: Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation
    Noninvasive stimulation vs sham stimulation will be delivered via an auricular device.
  • Behavioral: Breathing task
    Participants will be asked to breathe in specific patterns.

Recruiting Locations

Boston University - Charles River Campus
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Contact:
Jessica Yee, BS
774-285-2038
jessyee@bu.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Boston University Charles River Campus

Study Contact

Jessica Yee, BS
7742852038
jessyee@bu.edu

Detailed Description

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow is essential for brain health, as it clears waste products from the brain. This study will investigate how breathing affects the flow of CSF around the brain. The investigators will perform high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in participants who are breathing in specific patterns or performing simple tasks and test the effects on CSF flow. Participants will complete an imaging study visit in which the investigators will image their brain activity while they perform simple tasks, including paced breathing tasks. The participants will be split into two arms: (1) paced breathing (25 participants low resolution, 15 participants high resolution), (2) transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (25 participants low resolution, 15 participants high resolution). The MRI scans will take place in the 7 Tesla MRI scanner at Massachusetts General Hospital.