Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42558846›Full record

ReviewAnnals of neurosciences2026

Locus Coeruleus as a Master Regulator of Diverse Functions in the Central Nervous System: Its Relevance in Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Ahana Bhattacharya, Ravi Manjithaya, Yasha Chickabasaviah, Phalguni Anand Alladi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Annals of neurosciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ahana BhattacharyaDepartment of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neurotoxicology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Ravi ManjithayaJawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Yasha ChickabasaviahNational Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Phalguni Anand AlladiDepartment of Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neurotoxicology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2876-3478

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) is a rod-shaped, cylindrical, deeply pigmented neuromelanin (NM)-rich cluster of noradrenergic cells placed bilaterally in the dorsolateral tegmentum of the pons. The main neurotransmitter synthesised by these neurons is norepinephrine (NE), which polymerises to NM. Collectively, it regulates a plethora of activities, including vigilance, synaptic plasticity, memory processing, pain, stress responses, selective attention, cognition, sleep, emotion, capillary wall permeability and cerebral blood flow, thereby holding a 'master key' to several processes. Despite being small in dimensions, it is of enormous significance in diverse functions. Degeneration of the LC occurs early and progressively in both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), with diverse impacts, and is linked to neuropsychiatric entities such as depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, schizophrenia and rapid eye movement sleep disorders, thereby raising considerable interest in normal physiology as well as in disease. Summary: This review is to better understand the neuroanatomical connections of human LC (master regulator of the central nervous system), pigmentation, cellular types, neurotransmitters/co-transmitters, and its role in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent and relevant classical research and review articles were referred to from PubMed to prepare a short review of the structure of LC, its projections, NM pigment and neuroprotection. We further examined the details of its cell types, neurotransmitters, co-transmitter functions and its effects in ageing, AD and PD, with emphasis on human studies. Key Message: LC is a vital region that offers neuroprotection, assists in the maintenance of cognitive reserve and enhances resilience and neuronal survival, despite the presence of AD and PD pathology for several decades. Further, it synthesises NE and co-transmitters that regulate attention, sleep-wake cycle, mood, cognition and so on. Maintaining its integrity and function promises potential scope to promote its health with normal ageing and improve clinical strategies in patients with neurodegeneration.

Indexed as

Alzheimer’s diseaseanatomical connectionsHuman locus coeruleusneuropeptidesParkinson’s disease

Identifiers

PMID42558846
PMCPMC13437911

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.