Charles Bonnet Syndrome research

Charles Bonnet Syndrome

Research

Dr Dominic ffytche BSc MBBS MD MRCP MRCPsych. Reader in Visual Psychiatry at King’s London led the SHAPED study. This encompassed visual hallucinations in Charles Bonnet Syndrome, Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. This is the link to the piece of research published in the BMJ. https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/91/5/512

A pilot study, funded by the Macular Society, has tested the effectiveness of using trans-cranial direction current stimulation (a non-invasive treatment) to the visual parts of the brain to reduce over-activity. Positive improvements were reported by four out of six participants.

2020

The result of a research project at Newcastle University, funded by Fight for Sight, Thomas Pocklington Trust and National Eye Research Centre (on behalf of Esme’s Umbrella) will be published. This investigated how the activity levels of the visual part of the brain are different in people with eye disease who experience CBS compared to people with eye disease who do not develop the condition.

New CBS Research projects will be led by:
Dr Mariya Moosajee – a study of CBS prevalence in children
Dr Martin Dunn (Cardiff University) – funded by Fight for Sight and the Welsh Government
Professor Holly Bridge (University of Oxford) – funded by Esme’s Umbrella and Blind Veterans
The Medical Detection Dogs

Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a condition which causes vivid, silent, visual hallucinations. It can develop in a person of any age – children are not exempt – when over 60% of sight is lost. Not everyone who loses sight develops CBS.

Read more on causes, symptoms, treatment and support