Guiding optic nerve regrowth with gentle electric fields
Morphologic and Functional Assessment of Field-Potentiated Optic Nerve Regeneration
Researchers are using tiny electric fields together with nerve-regrowth treatments to help damaged optic nerves reconnect and improve vision in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11304570 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work combines mild electrical stimulation with other nerve-regenerating approaches to steer retinal ganglion cell axons toward their correct brain targets. The team will examine how axons regrow (structure) and whether those connections restore visual signals (function) using recordings and vision tests. Most experiments are conducted in living models at UC Irvine as a step toward human treatments. Successful lab results would support future clinical studies to test safety and benefit for people with optic nerve damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have lost vision due to optic nerve damage (for example from traumatic optic neuropathy or optic-nerve–related degenerative diseases) would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People whose blindness is caused by problems unrelated to the optic nerve (for example widespread loss of retinal photoreceptors) or who have completely degenerated retinal ganglion cells may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help restore some vision for people whose sight was lost because of optic nerve injury or disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies showed that electric fields can promote and direct optic nerve axon growth and restore partial visual responses, but combining stimulation with other regenerative methods is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gokoffski, Kimberly K — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Gokoffski, Kimberly K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.