Investigating Brain Function in People With and Without Visual Snow Syndrome Using Adaptation to Visual Stimuli
Eligible age
18–60 yrs
Accepts
All genders
Locations
1 state
Healthy volunteers
Yes
See if you qualify for this study
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About this study
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.
Sponsor: University of Minnesota
You may qualify if…
- ✓ 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
- ✓ 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
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ 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
Where it's recruiting
Minneapolis
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT06961864 · last updated 2026-01-14