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NCT06961864 | RECRUITING | Visual Snow Syndrome

Investigating Brain Function in People With and Without Visual Snow Syndrome Using Adaptation to Visual Stimuli
Sponsor:

University of Minnesota

Brief Summary:

The goal of this study is to learn more about the brain pathways and activity involved in creating Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does VSS arise from spontaneous activity in brain pathways? * Where in the brain does the activity contributing to VSS arise? * How does brain activity contribute to VSS? Participants will: 1. Undergo assessments and questionnaires to understand visual and mental symptoms, cognitive, and sensory function. 2. Make visual judgements based on images presented to them both inside and outside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. 3. Undergo scanning of their brain while inside of an MRI machine.

Condition or disease

Visual Snow Syndrome

Migraine

Healthy

Intervention/treatment

Visual Adaptation

Assessments and Questionnaires

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRS)

Phase

NA

Study Type : INTERVENTIONAL
Estimated Enrollment : 100 participants
Masking : NONE
Primary Purpose : BASIC_SCIENCE
Official Title : Visual Perception in Visual Snow Syndrome
Actual Study Start Date : 2025-05-31
Estimated Primary Completion Date : 2030-03-31
Estimated Study Completion Date : 2030-03-31

Information not available for Arms and Intervention/treatment

Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study: ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: 1
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for People with Visual Snow Syndrome
  • * Between the ages of 18 and 60 years old
  • * Normal (20/25 or better in each eye) or corrected-to-normal vision (MR-compatible glasses will be provided as needed)
  • * Ability to comply with study instructions
  • * Individuals who have a current diagnosis of VSS from a neuro-ophthalmologist or meet diagnostic criteria of VSS (experience of dynamic dots across the visual field persisting longer than 3 months and at least 2 of the following additional visual symptoms: palinopsia, entoptic phenomena, trails behind moving objects, photophobia, or nyctalopia)
  • * Individuals living in Minnesota within 2 hours of the study site
  • Inclusion Criteria for Non-snow Controls
    • * Between the ages of 18 and 60 years old
    • * Normal (20/25 or better in each eye) or corrected-to-normal vision (MR-compatible glasses will be provided as needed)
    • * Ability to comply with study instructions
    • * Individuals living in Minnesota within 2 hours of the study site
    Exclusion Criteria for People with Visual Snow Syndrome
    • * Not being fluent in English or another language for which interpretation/translation services are available
    • * A diagnosed or self-reported intellectual disability
    • * Current substance dependence (besides nicotine), or drug dependence with tolerance or withdrawal within past 12 months
    • * Hallucinogenic substance use within the past 12 months or hallucinogenic substance use within 12 months prior to onset of VSS symptoms
    • * Severe central nervous system disease
    • * Head injury with skull fracture or loss of consciousness for more than thirty minutes
    • * Presence of a physical problem that would render study measures difficult or impossible to administer or interpret (e.g., visual field loss)
    • * Age less than 18 years or greater than 60 years
    • * MRI exclusions (for MR visits only)
      • * Metal in the body that cannot be approved by the CMRR safety committee
      • * Pregnancy
      • * Conditions that affect neuro-hemodynamic coupling
      • * Claustrophobia
      • * Inability to lie still for at least an hour
      • * Weight in excess of 440 lbs
      • * CT scan exclusion only: Research-related radiation exposure within the last 12 months
      • * Any vision anomaly aside from VS or refractive error (e.g., strabismus/ crossed eyes, lazy eyes, color blindness)
      • * Current psychotic episode
      Exclusion Criteria for Non-snow Controls
      • * Not being fluent in English or another language for which interpretation/translation services are available
      • * A diagnosed or self-reported intellectual disability
      • * Current substance dependence (besides nicotine), or drug dependence with tolerance or withdrawal within past 12 months
      • * Hallucinogenic substance use within the past 12 months
      • * Severe central nervous system disease
      • * Head injury with skull fracture or loss of consciousness for more than thirty minutes
      • * Presence of a physical problem that would render study measures difficult or impossible to administer or interpret (e.g., visual field loss)
      • * Age less than 18 years or greater than 60 years
      • * MRI exclusions (for MR visits only)
        • * Metal in the body that cannot be approved by the CMRR safety committee
        • * Pregnancy
        • * Conditions that affect neuro-hemodynamic coupling
        • * Claustrophobia
        • * Inability to lie still for at least an hour
        • * Weight in excess of 440 lbs
        • * CT scan exclusion only: Research-related radiation exposure within the last 12 months
        • * Any vision anomaly or refractive error (e.g. strabismus/ crossed eyes, lazy eyes, color blind)
        • * A personal history of VSS symptoms or a diagnosis with VSS
        • * Current psychotic episode
Investigating Brain Function in People With and Without Visual Snow Syndrome Using Adaptation to Visual Stimuli

Location Details

NCT06961864

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Locations

RECRUITING

United States, Minnesota

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455