Much of the prior clinical research on dexmedetomidine has taken place during surgery or in other medically complex settings. Pain, inflammation, other medications, disrupted environments, and irregular daily routines can make it difficult to distinguish the effects of the drug from other influences on sleep and circadian rhythms.

DEXTER uses a carefully controlled laboratory protocol that standardizes light exposure, posture, feeding, activity, and the timing of sampling. This approach is designed to reduce environmental and behavioral confounding and characterize the physiologic effects of SL Dex across the sleep–wake cycle.

What we will study

• Circadian regulation: how SL Dex influences the body's daily rhythms.
• Sleep architecture: changes in the organization and timing of sleep stages, including slow-wave activity and the time to sleep and REM onset.
• Biomarker dynamics: the temporal profile of tau biomarkers, particularly plasma p-tau217, over 24 hours.

By examining these outcomes together, DEXTER aims to clarify whether sleep-like sedation is accompanied by measurable sleep and circadian effects and changes in tau dynamics.

Stay tuned — recruitment will open soon!

DEXTER is not yet recruiting participants. When enrollment opens, we will post eligibility requirements, details about participation, and instructions for getting in touch with the study team here.

For general questions about DEXTER, please email the Principal Investigator, Dr. Peng Li.