An interventional study of neurofeedback in Visual Snow Syndrome and Neuro-Ophthalmology, sponsored by University of Zurich. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-06-15.
Sponsored by University of Zurich · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Visual snow (VS) is a distressing, life-impacting condition with unrelenting and persistent disturbing visual phenomena. Disease onset is usually around age 20 and is characterized by continuous perception of innumerable flickering dots (like a 'broken television'). The disease is often accompanied by comorbidities such as migraine, tinnitus, depression and anxiety.
Neuronally, VS patients show cerebral hypermetabolism, resulting in altered neuronal excitability, as well as increased grey matter volume in parts of the visual cortex.
For this pilot study, the investigators aim to recruit VS patients. In a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled longitudinal experiment, the investigators will use real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) neurofeedback to teach patients to downregulate activity in different regions of the visual cortex.
The investigators hypothesize that neurofeedback will allow patients to learn to downregulate their abnormal visual cortex activity. Moreover, the investigators predict that a stronger downregulation of activity from the lingual gyrus will correlate with a more pronounced decrease in VS symptoms.
Currently, there is no pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment available that significantly reduces the high disease burden produced by VS. Thus, there is an unmet need for an appropriate intervention to treat patients with VS. In this study, the investigators will:
Test if rtfMRI-based neurofeedback could serve as therapeutic option for patients with VS.
Here, the investigators will examine correlations of neurofeedback regulation success with clinical scores 3 after neurofeedback
Primary and secondary endpoint/outcome(s)
University of Zurich is the lead sponsor of 1,030 studies on the registry; 130 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
This group will regulate a brain region by real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging that is centrally involved in the visual snow syndrome
Other: neurofeedback
This group will regulate a brain region by real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging that is not centrally involved in the visual snow syndrome
Other: neurofeedback
(based on real-time functional magnetic resonance signals)
symptom severity
Changes in symptom severity before and after real-time fMRI neurofeedback
Time frame: Acute after neurofeedback and 3 months after neurofeedback
Magnetic resonance imaging
Assessment of Magnetic resonance imaging parameters related to brain function and structure
Time frame: before and immediately after the neurofeedback sessions
Plan to share: Undecided — The datasets presented in this study are not readily available because due to Swiss law, the researchers must assess whether the use of the data and coded datasets are within the primary scope of the informed consent. Subject level data is only available upon request and after the researchers have reviewed the purpose of the inquiry. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to Dr. Lars Michels, lars.michels@usz.ch.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Jun 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Zurich