Visual Rehabilitation After Occipital Stroke

Summary

This research aims to examine changes in plastic potential of the visual system with time from stroke affecting primary visual cortex. We will measure structural and mechanistic aspects of progressive degeneration along the early visual pathways, correlating them with changes in visual performance, and in responsiveness to visual restoration training. This project will advance both scientific knowledge, as well as technical capability and clinical practices for restoring vision and quality of life for people suffering from cortical blindness.

Conditions

• Stroke, Ischemic
• Quadrantanopia
• Vision Loss Partial
• Visual Field Defect, Peripheral
• Peripheral Visual Field Defect of Both Eyes
• Peripheral Visual Field Defect
• Hemianopsia
• Hemianopia
• Homonymous Hemianopia
• Homonymous Hemianopsia
• Visual Fields Hemianopsia
• Occipital Lobe Infarct
• Quadrantanopsia
• Stroke Hemorrhagic

Interventions

DEVICE

Subacute Training in the intact field

A computer software and chin-rest necessary to perform visual training will be loaned to each subject to be used at home. They will perform one to two daily training sessions in their home, consisting of 200-300 trials each. The visual task performed repetitively will involve discriminating the direction of motion of a small cloud of dots located at a predetermined location in the intact field. The computer program will automatically create a record of patient performance during each home training session. Subjects will train daily (about 40-60 minutes total), 5 to 7 days per week for at least one and up to 6 months.

DEVICE

Subacute Training in the blind field

A computer software and chin-rest necessary to perform visual training will be loaned to each subject to be used at home. They will perform one to two daily training sessions in their home, consisting of 200-300 trials each. The visual task performed repetitively will involve discriminating the direction of motion of a small cloud of dots located at a predetermined location in the blind field. The computer program will automatically create a record of patient performance during each home training session. Subjects will train daily (about 40-60 minutes total), 5 to 7 days per week for at least one and up to 6 months.

DEVICE

Chronic Training in the blind field

After the initial training period of one to six months, the same computer software will continue to be used for all subjects. The visual task performed repetitively will involve discriminating the direction of motion of a small cloud of dots located at a predetermined location in the blind field. The computer program will automatically create a record of patient performance during each home training session. Subjects will train daily (about 40-60 minutes total), 5 to 7 days per week for at least 6 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Eye Institute (NEI)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Rochester

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-07-19

Primary Completion

2025-09-26

Completion

2028-01-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations