University of Iowa Health Care researchers have received an $18 million grant to study a brain disorder that mostly affects young women during their childbearing years.
The disease is called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or IIH. IIH occurs when the pressure of the fluid that fills the space between the brain and the interior wall of the skull becomes high. Patients with IIH may develop disabling headaches and visual loss that can lead to blindness.
The research trial is called the Surgical Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Trial (SIGHT). The study will compare the outcomes of two surgical procedures with maximal medical therapy in IIH patients with moderate to severe visual loss.
The interdisciplinary research team includes Michael Wall, MD, the study’s principal investigator, Matt Thurtell, MBBS, MSc, Keith Carter, MD, Jane Bailey, MD, Mona Garvin, PhD, Matt Howard, MD, PhD, and Randy Kardon, MD, PhD.
Enrollment is scheduled to begin in April of 2018 and the grant will run for five years.
Information about the Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic - https://uihc.org/neuro-ophthalmology-clinic
