Visual Dysfunction in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI): A Comparison Group Study (VDMTBI)

Visual Dysfunction in MTBI: A Comparison Group Study

In an on-going study of visual characteristics of personnel diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) related to their service in Iraq and Afghanistan we found a high rate of binocular vision problems (such as double/blurry vision, reading difficult, etc.). These individuals are also usually diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is known to cause some vision symptoms. We wish to conduct this study on individuals with PTSD (but not an MTBI) to see if they have symptoms similar to those in individuals who have MTBI. This will provide us with information useful in determining the specific cause of the visual symptoms in the MTBI population.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Detailed Description

We will recruit 75 patients diagnosed with PTSD, but with no history of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), from the population of the VAPAHCS PTSD Center and Clinics. These volunteers will be scheduled for an eye screening developed for a concurrent project to assess visual dysfunction (accommodation/vergence insufficiency, pursuit/saccade deficits, etc.) in patients diagnosed with MTBI and seen at the Palo Alto Polytrauma Network Site clinic. The MTBI patients have unexpectedly high rates of binocular dysfunction, although their visual acuities and visual fields are normal/near normal. The MTBI diagnosis is associated with a combat blast event in some 90% of cases. Th majority of this population has also been diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD is known to cause some visual symptoms, thus it is necessary for us to determine if the visual dysfunctions in the MTBI are related to their PTSD diagnosis or not. The volunteer participants will be scheduled for an eye screening and consented prior to the screening. Inclusion criteria include diagnosis of PTSD, aged 19 to 39, and willingness to participate. Exclusion criteria is primarily history of TBI. The visual screen includes assessments of visual acuity, visual field, self-reported visual function (i.e., light sensitivity, eye fatigue, reading difficulty), and measures of accommodative function, vergence, pursuit and saccades. The data collected will be compared to the data from the ongoing study of visual dysfunction in patients diagnosed with MTBI.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 75

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304-1290
      • VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 19 years to 39 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be drawn from the patient population of the VAPAHCS PTSD Center and Clinics.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of PTSD
• no history of MTBI
• between 19 and 39 years of age
• a veteran

Exclusion Criteria:

• a history of MTBI
• over the age of 39
• an unwillingness to participate

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Group 1; Participants will be patients diagnosed with PTSD but with no history of TBI. Participants must be between the ages of 19 and 39. Participants must be compentent to sign a consent form and be willing ot participate in a vision screening.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Presence or absence of binocular dysfunction	The primary outcome will be measured at a single visual screen lasting approximately one hour.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Gregory L Goodrich, PhD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): July 1, 2009
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): August 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 4, 2008
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): May 5, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): January 28, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 24, 2013
• Last Verified: August 1, 2009

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Eye Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Sensation Disorders; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Vision Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: SHP 08-142