Understanding how the retina adapts in congenital night blindness
Official title: Mechanisms of neural compensation in the retina and dysfunction in congenital stationary night blindness
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10938611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how certain cells in the eye adapt when there are problems with vision, specifically for people with congenital stationary night blindness, to better understand how the eye tries to cope with these challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $40,706 |
| NIH project number | 5F30EY035128-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10938611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with congenital stationary night blindness.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other forms of visual impairment unrelated to congenital stationary night blindness may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the retina's neural circuits adapt when faced with signaling deficits, particularly in cases of congenital stationary night blindness. The study focuses on alpha retinal ganglion cells, which are crucial for transmitting visual information to the brain. By employing neurophysiological and anatomical techniques, the research aims to uncover the cellular and synaptic changes that occur in these cells despite the absence of normal signal transmission. This could provide insights into the mechanisms of neural compensation in the retina.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for treating visual impairments associated with congenital night blindness.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific mechanisms of neural compensation in this context are not extensively studied, similar approaches in retinal research have shown promising results.
Where this research is happening
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khoussine, Jacob Omar — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Khoussine, Jacob Omar
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.