Investigating Brain Function in People With and Without Visual Snow Syndrome Using Adaptation to Visual Stimuli
NCT ID: NCT06961864
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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RECRUITING
NA
100 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2025-04-11
2030-03-31
Brief Summary
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* 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.
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Detailed Description
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Conditions
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Study Design
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NON_RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
BASIC_SCIENCE
NONE
Study Groups
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People with Visual Snow Syndrome
Visual Adaptation
Presentation of visual stimuli to quantify the appearance of visual snow or its effects in the visual system of the brain.
Assessments and Questionnaires
Administration of clinical assessments and questionnaires to gather information about visual and mental symptoms, cognitive, and sensory function.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
7 tesla fMRI data will be acquired during visual paradigms designed to measure neural responses with and without adaptation.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRS)
7 tesla MRS data will be acquired to quantify the concentrations of different brain chemicals in brain regions including visual cortex.
Non-snow Controls
Visual Adaptation
Presentation of visual stimuli to quantify the appearance of visual snow or its effects in the visual system of the brain.
Assessments and Questionnaires
Administration of clinical assessments and questionnaires to gather information about visual and mental symptoms, cognitive, and sensory function.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
7 tesla fMRI data will be acquired during visual paradigms designed to measure neural responses with and without adaptation.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRS)
7 tesla MRS data will be acquired to quantify the concentrations of different brain chemicals in brain regions including visual cortex.
Interventions
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Visual Adaptation
Presentation of visual stimuli to quantify the appearance of visual snow or its effects in the visual system of the brain.
Assessments and Questionnaires
Administration of clinical assessments and questionnaires to gather information about visual and mental symptoms, cognitive, and sensory function.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
7 tesla fMRI data will be acquired during visual paradigms designed to measure neural responses with and without adaptation.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRS)
7 tesla MRS data will be acquired to quantify the concentrations of different brain chemicals in brain regions including visual cortex.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* 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
* Individuals living in Minnesota within 2 hours of the study site
Exclusion Criteria
* 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
* 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
18 Years
60 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH
Mayo Clinic
OTHER
National Eye Institute (NEI)
NIH
University of Minnesota
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Michael-Paul Schallmo, Ph.D.
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Minnesota, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Stephen A Engel, Ph.D.
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
University of Minnesota, Department of Psychology
Michael S Lee, M.D.
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
University of Minnesota, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences
Abby Metzler, M.D.
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
University of Minnesota, Department of Neurology
Malgorzata Marjanska, Ph.D.
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
University of Minnesota, Department of Radiology
Carrie E Robertson, M.D.
Role: STUDY_CHAIR
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Department of Neurology
Locations
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University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Countries
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Central Contacts
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Facility Contacts
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References
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Montoya SA, Mulder CB, Allison KD, Lee MS, Engel SA, Schallmo MP. What does visual snow look like? Quantification by matching a simulation. J Vis. 2024 Jun 3;24(6):3. doi: 10.1167/jov.24.6.3.
Montoya SA, Hillstrom AJ, Allison KD, Mulder CB, Moser HR, Lee MS, Schallmo MP, Engel SA. Visual Snow Is Susceptible to the Motion Aftereffect. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Oct 1;66(13):23. doi: 10.1167/iovs.66.13.23.
Montoya SA, Mulder CB, Lee MS, Schallmo MP, Engel SA. Adapting to Visual Noise Alleviates Visual Snow. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023 Dec 1;64(15):23. doi: 10.1167/iovs.64.15.23.
Related Links
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Related Info
Other Identifiers
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STUDY00014113
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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