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NCT Number: NCT07707219

A Study of Taste- and Olfactory-Evoked Potentials in Patients With Visual Impairment: Taste, Smell, and Vision

Visual impairment, whether central or peripheral, may influence the plasticity of other sensory modalities, such as taste and smell. Taste-evoked potentials (TEPs) and smell-evoked potentials (SEPs)-methods for analyzing brain activity in response to taste and smell stimuli-allow for the objective assessment of these interactions. This approach has already demonstrated its value in the study of cognitive disorders. This study aims to demonstrate an enhancement of taste and smell capabilities that could compensate for specific visual impairments, particularly in situations involving food choices.

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Key information

Conditions

Central Visual Impairment Blindness Blindness, Cortical Eye Diseases Macular Retinal Dystrophy Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Peripherical Macular Dystrophy Peripherical Visual Impairment Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Vision Disorders

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Chu Dijon Bourgogne

Dijon, 21000, France

Location contact

Pierre-Henry GABRIELLE

CONTACT

pierrehenry.gabrielle@chu_dijon.fr

03.80.29.37.56 ext. +33

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult: ≥ 18 years and ≤ 60 years
  • Individual who has given oral consent
  • Individual who has been fasting (no food, drink, or tobacco) for at least 1 hour prior to PEG and PEO measurement
  • No cognitive complaints and normal neurological examination.
  • Group of patients with visual impairment:

A. Central: documented bilateral macular dystrophy (e.g., Stargardt disease, Best disease) with confirmed central scotoma (CV 24.2, 10.2, or 30.2).

B. Peripheral: documented bilateral peripheral retinal dystrophy with confirmed peripheral involvement (CV 30-2 or 24-2).

  • Control group: a person with normal vision and no known ophthalmological abnormalities (normal visual acuity and fundus examination) who is precisely matched by sex and smoking status (former smoker who has quit vs. nonsmoker), and approximately matched by age (± 5 years) to a visually impaired participant included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

For this group: patients with visual impairments:

  • Individuals who are not enrolled in or eligible for a social security program
  • Individuals subject to a legal protective measure (guardianship, conservatorship)
  • Individuals subject to judicial safeguard measures
  • Adults who are legally incapacitated or unable to give informed consent
  • Documented COVID-19 infection within the 6 months prior to enrollment
  • Active smokers (≥1 cigarette per day) or users of any other inhaled substances (water pipe, cannabis, etc.)
  • Participants following a sugar-free diet
  • Participants with diabetes, of any type
  • Participants taking medication (ongoing during the study) that interferes with taste perception • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • Individuals with neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's)
  • Individuals with braids, dreadlocks, or any other hairstyle that prevents electrodes from being placed in sufficiently precise locations on the scalp.
  • Overweight subjects with a BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²

Treatment and study plan

Taste and smell evaluation

Other

Determination of taste and smell ability scores using standardized methods (ETOC and Taste Strips)

Recording of evoked potentials (EP)

Other

A recording of gustatory evoked potentials (GEP) and olfactory evoked potentials (OEP) in response to stimuli consisting of sucrose solution, vanillin, and a combination of the two.

Primary outcomes

  1. Average latency of PEG (Taste-Evoked Potentials) peaks

    Time frame: At the baseline

    Measurement of the mean latency of taste-evoked potential peaks in visually impaired patients versus control subjects following purely gustatory stimulation (sucrose).

  2. Average amplitude of PEG (Taste-Evoked Potentials) peaks

    Time frame: At the baseline

    Measurement of the mean amplitude of taste-evoked potential peaks in visually impaired patients versus control subjects following purely gustatory stimulation (sucrose).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Pierre-Henry GABRIELLE

CONTACT

pierrehenry.gabrielle@chu_dijon.fr

03.80.29.37.56 ext. +33

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon

Other

Registry information

Acronym: GOUSTAVIS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jul 16, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 16, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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