A small but important part of the brain, called the locus coeruleus, could help scientists better understand how aging affects thinking and memory—and why some people may be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
A new study from Cornell University, published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, has found that changes in this tiny brain area over a person’s lifetime could be linked to cognitive health.
The locus coeruleus, located deep in the brainstem, is known as the brain’s “blue spot” because it contains a pigment called neuromelanin that gives it a blue color.
It’s the main source of norepinephrine, a chemical messenger important for attention, memory, stress response, and even sleep. Researchers believe it is also one of the first regions to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease, even years before symptoms start.
In this new study, researchers used specialized MRI scans to measure the intensity of the blue color in the brains of 134 healthy participants aged 19 to 86. Their sample was diverse, with about 40% of the participants being non-white.
They discovered an interesting pattern: neuromelanin levels in the locus coeruleus followed an inverted U-shaped curve over the lifespan. This means that neuromelanin built up and peaked around late middle age, but after age 60, it sharply declined.
Participants who maintained a stronger blue signal after age 60 tended to perform better on cognitive tests, suggesting that healthier locus coeruleus function is linked to better thinking and memory skills in older age.
The researchers also noticed that Black participants and women, two groups known to have a higher risk for Alzheimer’s, showed higher peaks of neuromelanin intensity earlier in life. While it’s not yet clear why this happens, one idea is that high demands on the brain and chronic stress might initially strengthen the locus coeruleus, but over time, could wear it down and make it more vulnerable to disease.
Adam Anderson, professor of psychology and human ecology at Cornell, said the findings might help spot when someone is on a healthy aging path—or when they might be at risk of cognitive decline. Understanding these patterns could eventually lead to earlier detection and better prevention strategies for Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders.
The research also emphasized the importance of using diverse study participants. Many past brain studies have mainly involved white and higher-income individuals.
By including people from a wide range of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, the Cornell team was able to show that while there are general patterns of brain aging, certain groups may face additional risks or changes that others do not. Anderson pointed out that a truly diverse sample is necessary to make scientific studies meaningful for the whole population.
The study was a collaboration between several Cornell researchers and SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, which helped recruit a more diverse group of participants through community outreach efforts.
This partnership aims to make brain health research more inclusive and to break down barriers that often prevent minority groups from taking part in medical studies.
Ongoing research at Cornell is now looking into ways to help preserve healthy locus coeruleus function as people age. Some early ideas include practices like deep breathing exercises and stimulating the vagus nerve, both of which might support the brain’s natural resilience.
While more work is needed to fully understand these findings, this study opens an important door. It suggests that the health of a tiny blue spot deep in our brains could hold major clues about how we age—and how we might one day prevent devastating conditions like Alzheimer’s.
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The research findings can be found in Neurobiology of Aging.
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