Brain Connectivity in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Duke University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01996215

Pro00046073

R01AG043438 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is to determine how cognitive deficits (e.g.,verbal fluency deficit) in patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) relate to specific aspects of brain and function. The study team will assess whether the "brain signatures" associated with specific cognitive deficits differ in older adults with and without AMD.

Enrollment: 238 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50 to 90 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

AMD

• Vision loss attributable to AMD

Controls

• Age match (± 5 yrs)
• Gender match
• Education match (± 4yrs)
• Normal macular exam

Exclusion criteria

AMD

• Other significant eye pathology
• Mod/severe dementia
• Communication barrier that precludes testing

Controls

• Other significant eye pathology
• Mod/severe dementia
• Communication barrier that precludes testing

MRI subset

• Devices or material incompatible with 3.0 Tesla MRI
• Conditions that may interfere with interpretation of fMRI (e.g. history of stroke, brain tumor or previous brain surgery; psychoactive medications; seizure disorder)
• Claustrophobia
• Left-handed
• Body weight > 300 lbs
• Pregnant women

Trial design

238 participants in 2 patient groups

AMD controls

AMD cases