Overview
The VIBRANT (Vision Improvement through Behavioral Rehabilitation And Neuroplasticity Training) study is a prospective, double-blind, crossover design (within-subject) in participants with homonymous hemianopia-a type of visual field loss resulting from damage to the post-chiasmatic visual pathways. It aims to investigate whether transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) combined with perceptual learning-based training has potential for improving visual impairments.
Eligibility
- Stroke, brain tumor, or traumatic brain injury patients
Inclusion Criteria:
- At least 18 years of age.
- Capable of providing informed consent and complying with study procedures.
- Unilateral or bilateral focal brain damage causing loss of vision.
- At least three months post-stroke or traumatic brain injury, or a stable brain tumor within the past year.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Severe CNS diseases or disorders unrelated to the focal lesion, which could interfere with study results.
- Severe mental health challenges that could interfere with study results, or current or recent (within the past 6 months) drug or alcohol abuse or addiction as defined by DSM-5.
- Vision loss resulting from ocular disease or disorder.
- Healthy volunteers (age-matched controls):
Inclusion Criteria:
- At least 18 years of age.
- Capable of providing informed consent and complying with study procedures.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any CNS diseases or psychiatric disorders (e.g., epilepsy, schizophrenia) that would interfere with study results.
- Previous head injury.
- Present or past (within past 6 months) drug or alcohol abuse or addiction based on DSM-5.