Spatial Neglect and Bias in Near and Far Space



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Cognitive Studies, Neurology
Therapuetic Areas:Neurology, Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - Any
Updated:3/24/2019
Start Date:May 2004
End Date:April 2019
Contact:Jenny Masmela, BA
Email:jmasmela@kesslerfoundation.org
Phone:(973) 324-3564

Use our guide to learn which trials are right for you!

The purpose of this research study is to learn how people distribute their visual attention
when looking at objects nearby versus far away, and why vision may become distracted at near
versus far distances.

Visual distraction is a problem that more often occurs people who have suffered strokes than
in the general population. Problems of visual attention generally appear immediately
following a stroke, and may impair driving and other functions. While it is thought that
there is a natural course of improvement over time, little is known about how this
improvement occurs. Some studies suggest that recovery is only partial, meaning certain
aspects of visual attention may improve while other aspects remain but escape notice.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of stroke on a person's visual attention
when looking at objects nearby versus far away, and to learn why a person's visual attention
may become more distracted at near versus far distances. The purpose of this study is also to
understand how modeled interventions, such as eye patching or prism goggles, affect
impairment measures of visual attention.

After an initial screening (including attention, thinking, memory, and visual judgment
tests), participants will be given a neurological examination. Participants may be asked to
perform visual tasks while wearing an eye patch or prism goggles. Next, they will be asked to
perform a line bisection task by looking at lines on a video screen either at close or far
distances and, using a laser pointer, marking the center of the lines as they appear
on-screen. Participants may be asked to perform other, similar visual tasks as well.

Duration of the study for participants varies, ranging from 1 or 2 sessions totaling
approximately 2 hours to multiple sessions spanning a year.

Research from this study may help researchers better understand problems associated with
stroke and may lead to therapies designed to promote improved visual attention.

Inclusion Criteria:

- The subject has a history of stroke.

- The subject is 18 to 100 years old.

- The subject is able to give Informed consent.

- The subject is post-Stroke with left-hemisphere injury and has no spatial neglect (no
attentional imbalance).

- The subject is post-stroke with right hemisphere damage and has spatial neglect
(attentional imbalance).

- Healthy subject with no brain injury.

- The subject is post stroke and has hemianopia (a "visual field cut").

- The subject is able and willing to comply with the study protocol, including
availability for all scheduled clinic visits.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Subjects with brain tumors, head injury with loss of consciousness, visual disorders
other than corrected near or far-sightedness, history of learning disabilities,
dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
We found this trial at
1
site
West Orange, New Jersey 07052
Phone: 973-324-3569
?
mi
from
West Orange, NJ
Click here to add this to my saved trials