Understanding how training can help recover vision after brain damage
Official title: Neuronal mechanisms underlying training-induced vision recovery
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11171670 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how special training can help people who have lost their vision from strokes regain some sight by understanding how their brains adapt and change after the injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $669,597 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035290-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171670 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced occipital strokes resulting in cortically-induced blindness.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with vision loss due to causes other than occipital strokes may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how specific training can restore some vision in patients who have lost it due to damage in the primary visual cortex from strokes. By using an animal model, the study aims to explore the neuronal changes and circuit adaptations that occur in the brain after such injuries and subsequent training. The researchers will analyze how visual discrimination training affects the connections between different parts of the brain involved in vision processing. This approach could lead to new insights into therapies that enhance visual recovery in affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved therapies that help restore vision in patients with cortically-induced blindness.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using training to improve visual function in patients with similar conditions, suggesting that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nielsen, Kristina J. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Nielsen, Kristina J.
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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.