Cortical BlindnessMOVROSNCT07134777
Mechanisms of Visual Restoration After Occipital Stroke
An observational study of Cortical Blindness and Stroke Ischemic, run by University of Rochester at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This project will collect brain imaging data to quantify the effects of early visual cortex damage and visual training interventions on the structure and function of the residual visual system. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cortical Blindness, Stroke Ischemic, Vision Loss Partial
- What is being tested?
- MRI
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Oct 2025to 1 Aug 2029
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Cortically blind patients
Who may be able to join
- Subjects between 21 and 80 years of age
- Subjects must be residents of the United States or Canada
- Subjects must exhibit unilateral stroke or stroke-like damage to primary visual cortex or its immediate afferent white matter sustained within the specified age range of 21 - 80 years (verified by MRI and/or CT scans)
- Subjects with reliable visual field defects in both eyes (homonymous defects) as measured by Humphrey, MAIA, Goldmann, and/or equivalent perimetry. This deficit must be large enough to enclose a 5-deg diameter visual stimulus.
- Subjects must be able to fixate on visual targets reliably for 1000ms, with jitter over less than 1-deg of visual angle.
- o Note: This will be initially assessed by review of visual field reports as supplied by subjects during the screening process. However, we will be unable to fully assess their fixation ability until they start the psychophysics testing in our lab. If at that time we discover that they are unable to maintain adequate fixation, they will be withdrawn from the study.
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- Subjects must be willing, able, and competent to provide their own informed consent
- Subjects must have their own home computer (desktop or laptop) and reliable internet access
- All subjects must have normal cognitive abilities and memory, sufficient to be able to understand and follow written and oral instructions in English, as well as to remember how to complete visual training at home, on their own, as instructed, for several months.
- Justification: We can only accept English-speaking subjects due to a lack of resources for supporting those who would require interpreter services. As all of our subjects are required to spend 3-5 days in lab with rigorous testing and training requirements, we must be able to communicate clearly and with minimal misunderstandings. This would require for up to 5-full days of in person interpreter services, for which we do not have funding. Additionally, ongoing communications take place by phone, email, and/or text as a part of home training (for routine check-ins and technical support for example) in the intervals between laboratory visits. This would require us to essentially have "on demand" access to interpreter services, which is simply not feasible.
- Subjects must be safe and willing to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
Who cannot join
- Subjects who have past or present ocular disease interfering with visual acuity
- Subjects with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than 20/40 in either eye
- Subjects who have documented or suspected damage to the dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
- Subjects who have diffuse whole-brain degenerative processes
- Subjects who have experienced traumatic brain injury
- Subjects who have any other brain damage deemed by study staff to potentially interfere with training ability or outcome measures
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- Subjects who have oculomotor defects deemed by study staff to potentially interfere with training ability or outcome measures (i.e., by impairing stable fixation during testing or training)
- Subjects who have documented history of drug/alcohol abuse
- Subjects who are currently taking neuroactive medications which would impact training, as determined by PI
- Subjects who have cognitive, memory or seizure disorders
- Subjects with one-sided attentional neglect
- Subjects who lack the competence or are otherwise unable to perform the visual training exercises as directed.
- Subjects who have contradictions to MRI scanning will be excluded. These contraindications include: a) central nervous system aneurysm clips; b) implanted neural stimulator; c) implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator; d) cochlear implant; e) ocular foreign body (e.g., metal shavings); f) insulin pump; g) metal shrapnel or bullet; h) any implanted device that is incompatible with MRI.
- Subjects who have conditions that preclude MRI scanning, e.g., morbid obesity, claustrophobia.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York, 14642
Evan Burr, BA, 585-275-5234, evan_burr@urmc.rochester.edu
Krystel Huxlin, PhD
About this study
Official title: Mechanisms of Visual Restoration After Occipital Stroke (MOVROS)
This project will collect brain imaging data to quantify the effects of early visual cortex damage and visual training interventions on the structure and function of the residual visual system. Our goal is to improve understanding of the consequences of permanent visual cortex damage in humans, and to understand how visual training impacts the function of the residual visual system to restore perception.
- Conditions
- Cortical Blindness, Stroke Ischemic, Vision Loss Partial, Visual Fields Hemianopsia, Hemianopia, Hemianopia Homonymous
- Being tested
- MRI
- Keywords
- occipital stroke, vision loss, Homonymous quadranopsia
- Medical subject headings
- Blindness, Cortical, Ischemic Stroke, Hemianopsia, Vision Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MRIDiagnostic test
Functional MRI scan
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cortically Blind Subjects | Subjects must exhibit unilateral stroke or stroke-like damage to primary visual cortex or its immediate afferent white matter sustained within the specified age range of 21 - 80 years. Receives: Diagnostic Test: MRI | |
| Control Subjects | Subjects with no history of neurological disorders and normal cognitive abilities. Receives: Diagnostic Test: MRI |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Identify visual areas of damage
Use fMRI scans to identify areas of damage
Measured: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Characterize visual response prior to visual training
Visual responses of different brain areas spared by the patients stroke will be analyzed using a population receptive field (pRF) method.
Measured: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Characterize how visual response properties in residual visual areas change following a period of visual training
Characterize how visual response properties in residual visual areas change following a period of visual training. Visual responses of different brain areas will be analyzed using a population receptive field (pRF) method.
Measured: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Aug 2025
- Study start17 Oct 2025
- Primary completion1 Aug 2029 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Aug 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cortical BlindnessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of RochesterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Rochester
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research to Prevent Blindness, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), University of Texas at Austin
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Krystel Huxlin, University of Rochester
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07134777
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00010767
- Other IDs
- 1U01NS136338-01
- Acronym
- MOVROS
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 26 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Mechanisms of Visual Restoration After Occipital Stroke (MOVROS)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07134777
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MOVROS / STUDY00010767
- Conditions
- Cortical Blindness, Stroke Ischemic, Vision Loss Partial, Visual Fields Hemianopsia, Hemianopia, Hemianopia Homonymous
- Keywords
- occipital stroke, vision loss, Homonymous quadranopsia
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of RochesterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), Research to Prevent Blindness, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), University of Texas at Austin
- Study start
- 17 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2029 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This project will collect brain imaging data to quantify the effects of early visual cortex damage and visual training interventions on the structure and function of the residual visual system. Our goal is to improve understanding of the consequences of permanent visual cortex damage in humans, and to understand how visual training impacts the function of the residual visual system to restore perception.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cortically Blind Subjects | – | Diagnostic Test: MRISubjects must exhibit unilateral stroke or stroke-like damage to primary visual cortex or its immediate afferent white matter sustained within the specified age range of 21 - 80 years. |
| Control Subjects | – | Diagnostic Test: MRISubjects with no history of neurological disorders and normal cognitive abilities. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Cortically blind patients
Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Subjects between 21 and 80 years of age
- Subjects must be residents of the United States or Canada
- Subjects must exhibit unilateral stroke or stroke-like damage to primary visual cortex or its immediate afferent white matter sustained within the specified age range of 21 - 80 years (verified by MRI and/or CT scans)
- Subjects with reliable visual field defects in both eyes (homonymous defects) as measured by Humphrey, MAIA, Goldmann, and/or equivalent perimetry. This deficit must be large enough to enclose a 5-deg diameter visual stimulus.
- Subjects must be able to fixate on visual targets reliably for 1000ms, with jitter over less than 1-deg of visual angle.
Key exclusion criteria (14 listed)
- Subjects who have past or present ocular disease interfering with visual acuity
- Subjects with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than 20/40 in either eye
- Subjects who have documented or suspected damage to the dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
- Subjects who have diffuse whole-brain degenerative processes
- Subjects who have experienced traumatic brain injury
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MRIFunctional MRI scan | Diagnostic test | Control Subjects, Cortically Blind Subjects |
Primary outcome
Identify visual areas of damage
Time frame: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Use fMRI scans to identify areas of damage
Characterize visual response prior to visual training
Time frame: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Visual responses of different brain areas spared by the patients stroke will be analyzed using a population receptive field (pRF) method.
Characterize how visual response properties in residual visual areas change following a period of visual training
Time frame: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7
Characterize how visual response properties in residual visual areas change following a period of visual training. Visual responses of different brain areas will be analyzed using a population receptive field (pRF) method.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Aug 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Cortical Blindness and Stroke Ischemic, run by University of Rochester at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 14 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Evan Burr, BA (585-275-5234, evan_burr@urmc.rochester.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Identify visual areas of damage (time frame: Baseline, Visit 2, Optional visits 3-7). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Aug 2026.