A Behavioral Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury-Associated Visual Dysfunction Based on Adult Cortical Plasticity
Abstract
Despite administrative difficulties that delayed the initiation of the protocol parts involving human subjects, we have completed testing and training of 20 control subjects. There was a remarkable improvement in the objective measurements of the visual functions, including subjective improvement reported by the subjects. Based on the accumulate data, we prepared an updated set of pretest/posttest and training protocol in order to improve the training results, especially in the periphery. The results of the training suggest that we will be able to apply a modified protocol to TBI patients. Though it was not planned in the original proposal, we will run another subset of controls to validate the improved protocol in order to increase the efficacy of the training protocol. We will present the data in the 3rd International Workshop on Perceptual Learning in December 2012 and will prepare a manuscript for publication based on the data of all controls subjects. We have recruited 6 TBI patients so far and present the results of a representative TBI patient. There is already a pronounced improvement in his visual acuity, of more than 1 ETDRS line, towards the levels of the normal control group, in static contrast sensitivity and in lateral interactions, with the negative effect of lateral masking replaced by a slight positive effect of facilitation (i.e., detection threshold reduction). He also reports subjective improvement. We proceed with training of patients and intensive screening the medical files to identify more potential TBI patients.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA606192
Entities
People
- Anna Sterkin
- Uri Polat
Organizations
- Tel Aviv University