September 17, 2024 – A new study investigating the effectiveness and safety of medication for the treatment of Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) is being investigated. The goal of this study is to discover whether pharmacological treatment, or medication, can safely address the specific deficits associated with VSS, alleviate visual symptoms and thereby improve patients’ quality of life.
This groundbreaking research is a collaboration between Visual Snow Initiative and well-known VSS neurologists, other Dr. Peter Goadsby, Dr. Francesca Puledda, Dr. Christoph Schankin and Sarah Aeschlimann. The identification of medications with therapeutic potential to treat VSS could represent a breakthrough in clinical practice. If researchers succeed in identifying a medication that proves to be effective, it could form the basis for the first effective pharmacological treatment options for VSS patients.
This new clinical trial will take place at the University Hospital of Bern, Department of Neurology, in Switzerland. After submission of an ethics application and approval by Swissmedic, recruitment for the study will begin. The expected completion of the study is July 2025. Administration of the medication and possible side effects will be carefully monitored by VSS researchers with expertise in the condition to ensure the safety of participants. They will regularly measure the severity of VSS, reduction in symptoms, quality of life and any side effects.
Despite intensive efforts, the development of effective pharmacological therapies for VSS has remained a challenge. Medications tested to date were considered ineffective by researchers, with symptoms usually worsening or no changes occurring. Although some individuals with VSS have reported that certain medications have helped them, there is no clinical evidence to support an effective pharmacological treatment for VSS. Researchers needed more insights into the cause and pathophysiology of VSS before they could identify possible targeted and effective treatments.
Recent studies had revealed new crucial information about the cause, pathophysiology, symptomatology and mechanisms of Visual Snow Syndrome as a network disorder. By comparing the distribution of receptors in different brain regions and functional connectivity patterns, a recent study was able to identify changes in the serotonergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems that may contribute to the pathophysiology of VSS. In this new clinical trial, researchers will investigate the potential effectiveness and safety of medications that target the specific deficits associated with VSS.
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