The Connection Between Areas in the Brain of Blind Patients

The purpose of this study is to test the belief that specific areas of the brain are connected differently in blind patients than patients with sight. In addition, the study will examine the different anatomical connections between brain areas of patients who became blind early in life versus patients who became blind later.

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Key information

Conditions

Blindness Brain Mapping Eye Diseases Healthy Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Vision Disorders

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

About this study

The purpose of this protocol is to test the hypothesis that the anatomical connectivity of occipital and somatosensory areas in early blind subjects differs from that in subjects who became blind later in life and from that in sighted volunteers.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Subjects with late blindness.

Subjects with early blindness.

Sighted volunteers.

Age between 18 and 65 years.

Exclusion criteria

Subjects with personal or family history of seizures or other neurological or demyelinating disorders.

Pregnant women tested after urine pregnancy test.

Subjects with metal in the cranium except mouth.

Subjects with intracardiac lines and implanted medication pumps.

Subjects with increased intracranial pressure as evaluated by clinical means.

Subjects with cardiac pacemakers.

Intake or neuroleptics.

Subjects with blindness secondary to degenerative CNS diseases.

Treatment and study plan

O15

Drug

Cadwell rTMS

Device

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Connectivity of Occipital and Somatosensory Cortical Areas in Blind Subjects

Important dates

Study start: 1999
Study completion: 2003
First posted: Nov 4, 1999
Registry last updated: Mar 4, 2008

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.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed