Tundra Space

Tundra Space

Clinical Research Directory

Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.

Back to Studies
RECRUITING
NCT03401879
NA

Retinal Neuro-vascular Coupling in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Sponsor: Medical University of Vienna

View on ClinicalTrials.gov

Summary

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects approximately 2.3 million patients worldwide, with a global median prevalence of 33 per 100,000. MS is diagnosed at an average of 30 years and affects twice as many women as men. MS is traditionally diagnosed by the presentation of lesions of the central nervous system, disseminated in time and in space, proven by clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Several anatomical parameters in the eye, both vascular and neural, have been found to be altered in MS patients. Because of its unique optical properties, the eye offers the possibility of the non-invasive assessment of both structural and functional alterations in neuronal tissue. As the neuro-retina is part of the brain, it does not come as a surprise that neuro-degenerative changes in the brain are accompanied by structural and possibly also functional changes in the neuro-retina and the ocular vasculature. The current study seeks to test the hypothesis that beside the known anatomical changes, also functional changes can be detected in the retina of patients with MS. For this purpose, flicker light induced hyperemia will be measured in the retina as a functional test to assess the coupling between neural activity and blood flow. Further, structural parameters such as retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and function parameters such as ocular blood flow and retinal oxygenation will be assessed and compared to age and sex matched controls.

Key Details

Gender

All

Age Range

18 Years - Any

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Enrollment

50

Start Date

2018-02-01

Completion Date

2026-03

Last Updated

2025-05-23

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Interventions

DEVICE

Dynamic Vessel Analyzer (DVA)

Retinal vessel diameters and oxygen saturation will be measured with the DVA device.

DEVICE

Fourier Domain Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography (FDOCT)

Retinal blood flow will be assessed using FDOCT.

DEVICE

Optical coherence tomography (OCT)

Nerve fiber layer thickness and central retinal thickness will be measured using OCT.

DEVICE

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)

Retinal microvasculature will be assessed using OCTA.

Locations (1)

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna

Vienna, Austria, Austria