Blindness may boost your sense of taste and smell, scientists say
NCT ID NCT07707219
First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether people with central or peripheral vision loss develop heightened senses of taste and smell. Researchers will measure brain responses to sweet and vanilla flavors in 50 visually impaired adults and compare them to sighted controls. The goal is to understand how the brain adapts to vision loss by enhancing other senses, which could influence food choices and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could reveal how the brain compensates for vision loss by sharpening other senses, potentially guiding new approaches to help people with visual impairments.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small observational study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It measures brain activity, not real-world eating behavior, so practical benefits are uncertain.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult: ≥ 18 years and ≤ 60 years * Individual who has given oral consent * Individual who has been fasting (no food, drink, or tobacco) for at least 1 hour prior to PEG and PEO measurement * No cognitive complaints and normal neurological examination. * Group of patients with visual impairment: A. Central: documented bilateral macular dystrophy (e.g., Stargardt disease, Best disease) with confirmed central scotoma (CV 24.2, 10.2, or 30.2). B. Peripheral: documented bilateral peripheral retinal dystrophy with confirmed peripheral involvement (CV 30-2 or 24-2). • Control group: a person with normal vision and no known ophthalmological abnormalities (normal visual acuity and fundus examination) who is precisely matched by sex and smoking status (former smoker who has quit vs. nonsmoker), and approximately matched by age (± 5 years) to a visually impaired participant included in the study. Exclusion Criteria: For this group: patients with visual impairments: * Individuals who are not enrolled in or eligible for a social security program * Individuals subject to a legal protective measure (guardianship, conservatorship) * Individuals subject to judicial safeguard measures * Adults who are legally incapacitated or unable to give informed consent * Documented COVID-19 infection within the 6 months prior to enrollment * Active smokers (≥1 cigarette per day) or users of any other inhaled substances (water pipe, cannabis, etc.) * Participants following a sugar-free diet * Participants with diabetes, of any type * Participants taking medication (ongoing during the study) that interferes with taste perception • Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Individuals with neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's) * Individuals with braids, dreadlocks, or any other hairstyle that prevents electrodes from being placed in sufficiently precise locations on the scalp. * Overweight subjects with a BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Chu Dijon Bourgogne
Dijon, 21000, France
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