Multisensory neuromodulation to improve visual field loss after stroke
Neuromodulation Through Multisensory Stimulation for Visual Field Deficits in the Subacute Stage of Disease
This will try combining audio-visual training with noninvasive brain stimulation (tDCS) to help people within three months of stroke who have homonymous hemianopsia improve their visual field and visual scanning.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Istituto Auxologico Italiano Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Milan, Lombardy) |
| Trial ID | NCT07358832 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The protocol enrolls people in the subacute stage (within 3 months) after an acquired brain injury who have homonymous visual field defects. Participants receive audio-visual training—eye movement exercises paired with synchronized visual and auditory cues—while low‑intensity transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is applied to the lesioned visual cortex to promote plasticity. The approach aims to speed and stabilize functional gains in scanning and daily tasks and potentially restore portions of the lost visual field, addressing a window earlier than most prior work. The study excludes participants with hemispatial neglect, disorders of conjugate eye movements, other major neurological disease, or contraindications to brain stimulation and is conducted at Istituto Auxologico Italiano in Milan.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people within three months of an acquired brain injury with neuro‑ophthalmologically confirmed homonymous hemianopsia who do not have hemispatial neglect, conjugate eye‑movement disorders, other major neurological disease, or contraindications to tDCS (for example, epilepsy, implanted metallic/electronic devices, or pregnancy).
Not a fit: Patients with hemispatial neglect, disorders of conjugate eye movements, dementia or other major neurological disorders, chronic visual field loss beyond the subacute window, or contraindications to brain stimulation are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the combined AVT plus tDCS approach could speed recovery and expand visual fields after stroke, improving reading, navigation, independence, and mood.
How similar studies have performed: Early studies, mostly in chronic patients, suggest that pairing tDCS with audio‑visual training can speed and stabilize improvements, but evidence in the subacute stage is limited and still emerging.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: \- Presence of subacute acquired brain injury (\< 3 months) with HVFD according to Neurophthalmological evaluation Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of hemispatial neglect (indexed by pathological asymmetries on paper-and-pencil tests) * Disorders of conjugated eye movements * Other neurological disorders (e.g., dementia) * Exclusion criteria for brain stimulation (i.e., epilepsy or family history of epilepsy; implanted electrodes, stimulators, pacemakers, infusion pumps, or any implanted metal device; pregnancy)
Where this trial is running
Milan, Lombardy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS — Milan, Lombardy, Italy (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Nadia Bolognini, PhD
- Email: n.bolognini@auxologico.it
- Phone: 02619116127
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.