Bridging Animal and Human Models of Exercise-induced Visual Rehabilitation

November 28, 2025 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development
This study will determine whether blood biomarker changes predict sight-saving benefits of exercise.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Investigators of the Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation (CVNR) find a very high prevalence of blinding diseases in the aging Veteran population. There are few treatments for the disorders that threaten our Veterans' eyesight. The work proposed here is the first step in determining whether exercise can be used by aging Veterans as an inexpensive and self-controlled therapy for vision loss. In order to translate exercise therapy for vision into the clinic, the investigators need to identify biomarkers that can be used to predict visual benefits.

Though human and animal studies show that aerobic exercise is beneficial to specific central and peripheral nervous system functions, effects on the retina and vision were unknown until the investigators recently discovered that treadmill exercise directly protects retinal neurons in mice undergoing light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD). The investigators found that exercise increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) a blood protein in the blood, brain and eyes, whereas treatment of mice with a BDNF inhibitor prevented the protective effects of exercise.

For this study, the investigators will assess visual outcomes and serum biomarkers (e.g, BDNF) in 60 subjects age 18-89 before, during, and after aerobic exercise. Subjects currently enrolled in a 12-week study (under Institutional Review Board (IRB) 56726) examining the effects of aerobic exercise on cognition will have visual testing (ERG, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and OCT) and blood collection prior to, during and after the standardized 12-week aerobic exercise regimen to determine whether circulating biomarker levels and visual outcomes are correlated and whether biomarker levels are altered as predicted in animal studies.

This study will determine whether biomarker changes predict sight-saving benefits of exercise. As opposed to surgery or pharmacological treatments, exercise programs provide a means for Veterans to exert some control over their visual disease progression and will increase their overall health.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

14

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033-4004
        • Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 89 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • English speaking
  • Aged 18 to 89
  • Sedentary as defined by < 120 min/week of aerobic exercise over prior 3 months
  • Non-demented (MMSE 24)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe diabetes requiring insulin
  • Cognitive-executive function deficit (MoCA < 26)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Aerobic Exercise
Exercise 3 times a week
Behavioral: Aerobic exercise
Stationary bicycle ergometer @ 50-80% of maximal heart rate reserve for 20 minutes to 45 minutes
Placebo Comparator: Balance Training
Group balance training 3 times a week
Behavioral: Balance exercise
Instructor-led exercises done in a group setting for strengthening, balance, flexibility

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Acuity - Mean Acuity Change
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart was used. Higher scores mean a better outcome. The number of correct responses (e.g., number of letters read correctly) from a subject assessed prior to start of the first session of the the 12 week study was subtracted from the number of correct responses elicited at the end of the last session of the study. The means of these differences for each study group (Balance Training vs Aerobic Exercise) were compared by two-tailed t-test.
12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Contrast Sensitivity
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Contrast sensitivity: The contrast sensitivity of the subjects will be measured with the Pelli-Robson Chart or Contrast Sensitivity Chart following the instructions provided with the chart. The two sides of the Pelli-Robson Chart have different letter sequences but are otherwise identical. The chart should be illuminated as uniformly as possible, so that the luminance of the white areas is between 80 and 120 cd/ m2 with no glare. The patient should sit directly in front of the chart at a distance of 1 meter (use the same 1 meter string as for visual acuity testing to measure the eye-to-chart distance). Subjects should be prevented from seeing the chart until the contrast sensitivity testing actually begins. Subjects should wear their best distance correction.
12 weeks
Concentration of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Serum.
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Blood will be drawn prior to and after exercise sessions. From this, serum levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) will measured by immunoenzymatic assay.
12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD, Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 10, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 14, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 28, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 8, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 20, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

September 22, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

December 5, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 28, 2025

Last Verified

November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • C1924-P

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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