Visual perceptual training with patterned and natural images
Official title: Systematic Psychophysical Investigation of Visual Learning
Run by Brown University · NCT06965478 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether targeted visual training changes how adults (18–60) perceive patterned and natural images and how those changes appear in brain activity.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 60 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Brown University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Providence, Rhode Island) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 22, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 2029 |
| Study ends | January 2029 |
| Registry record updated | November 19, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06965478 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 18–60 with normal or corrected-to-normal vision who can attend in-person training and neuroimaging sessions and have no implants or conditions that would interfere with recordings.
✕Probably not a fit
People with eye diseases (e.g., cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma), pregnant people, those with certain implants, or those taking psychoactive medications or with sleep disorders are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants with normal or corrected vision will complete repeated visual training sessions using artificial stimuli (Gabor patches) and natural scenes while performing psychophysical tasks. Investigators will record neuroimaging signals time-locked to stimulus onset to compare early (0–150 ms) feedforward and later (150–300 ms) recurrent processing associated with learning. The protocol tests whether improvements are specific to trained features and locations or generalize to untrained, everyday visual scenes. Findings will link behavioral changes to neural timing and inform designs for vision-rehabilitation programs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide rehabilitation programs that use perceptual training to improve or maintain vision in people with damaged or declining sight.
How similar studies have gone: Previous perceptual learning research has repeatedly shown that training can improve performance on simple visual tasks, but the extent of generalization to natural scenes and the exact neural timing mechanisms remain less established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 18 - 60, * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision Exclusion Criteria: * Eye disorders (cataracts, age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma) * Drug use (psychoactive drugs, neuroleptic medications, prescription medications that might affect cognitive and motor performance) * Sleep disorders (sleep apnea, insomnia) * Magnetically or mechanically activated implants (such as cardiac pacemakers) * clips on blood vessels in the brain * intrauterine devices * dentures * pregnancy
Where it's running
-
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Takeo Watanabe
- Email: takeo_watanabe@brown.edu
- Phone: 401-863-6916
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.