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Zhang X, Liu L, Li Y, Han S, Zhang Y, Zheng G, Cheng J, Zhang B, Wen B. Dynamic neural activity alterations and associated neurotransmitter profiles in children with monocular amblyopia. Brain Res Bull 2025; 224:111331. [PMID: 40180190 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2025] [Accepted: 03/31/2025] [Indexed: 04/05/2025]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the alterations in dynamic neural activity in the visual cortex in children with monocular amblyopia and its correlation with neurotransmitter profiles. METHODS A total of 61 participants with amblyopia (thirty right eye amblyopia, thirty-one left eye amblyopia) and 30 individuals with normal vision were recruited. The dynamic functional changes in brain areas, dynamic amplitude of low‑frequency fluctuations (dALFF) serves as the primary index. Spatial correlation between dALFF changes and neurotransmitter imaging was also examined. RESULTS Abnormal dALFF changes in the left and right lingual gyrus, the left and right middle occipital gyrus, the right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex, and the left cuneus. The dALFF variation in lingual and middle occipital gyrus are negatively correlated with visual acuity and best-corrected visual acuity. Furthermore, cross-modal correlations displayed that there was a significant correlation between intergroup functional effect map and neurotransmitter densities. CONCLUSION The results of this study reveal dynamic alterations in neural activity within the visual brain regions, along with corresponding neurotransmitter levels, providing insights into the neural basis of monocular amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopan Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; School of Physics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yadong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Shaoqiang Han
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Guangying Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- School of Physics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Baohong Wen
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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Li Y, Zheng G, Wen B, Zhang X. Altered spontaneous brain activity in children with deprivation amblyopia: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Eur J Med Res 2025; 30:31. [PMID: 39810202 PMCID: PMC11734425 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-025-02275-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2025] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the alterations in spontaneous brain activity and the similarities and differences between monocular deprivation amblyopia and binocular deprivation amblyopia. METHODS Twenty children with binocular deprivation amblyopia, 26 children with monocular deprivation amblyopia and 20 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The evaluation of altered spontaneous brain activity was conducted using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF). One-way analysis of variance was employed to analyze fALFF values among the three groups. Additionally, the relationship between fALFF values and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was analyzed via correlation analysis. RESULTS Compared to healthy controls, children with binocular deprivation amblyopia presented increased fALFF values in the left medial superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate cortex, left postcentral gyrus and bilateral precentral gyrus, and decreased fALFF values in the right fusiform gyrus. Compared to healthy controls, children with monocular deprivation amblyopia presented increased fALFF values in the right lingual gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, triangular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral middle temporal gyrus, and decreased fALFF values in the right precuneus. Compared with monocular deprivation amblyopia, fALFF values of binocular deprivation amblyopia were decreased in the triangular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, right lingual gyrus and right cuneus, and increased in the left precentral gyrus and left postcentral gyrus. No significant correlations were found between the fALFF values of identified regions and the BCVA of amblyopic eyes for either type of amblyopia. CONCLUSIONS Children with deprivation amblyopia presented alterations in spontaneous activity in multiple brain regions, and these alterations differed between monocular amblyopia and binocular amblyopia. These abnormal spontaneous activities may reflect dysfunctions and compensation related to amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Guangying Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Baohong Wen
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaopan Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Yu X, Zhao F, Li X, Lu W, Zhao L, Li D, Chen D, Wang Y, Wang B. Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Primary Visual Cortex in Children with Anisometropia Amblyopia. Ophthalmic Res 2024; 67:275-281. [PMID: 38588644 DOI: 10.1159/000538380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to explore the functional connectivity of the primary visual cortex (V1) in children with anisometropic amblyopia by using the resting-state functional connectivity analysis method and determine whether anisometropic amblyopia is associated with changes in brain function. METHODS Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were obtained from 16 children with anisometropia amblyopia (CAA group) and 12 healthy children (HC group) during the resting state. The Brodmann area 17 (BA17) was used as the region of interest, and the functional connection (FC) of V1 was analyzed in both groups. A two-sample t test was used to analyze the FC value between the two groups. Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the correlation between the mean FC value in the brain function change area of the CAA group and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of amblyopia. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS There were no significant differences in age and sex between the CAA and HC groups (p > 0.05). Compared to the HC group, the CAA group showed lower FC values in BA17 and the left medial frontal gyrus, as well as BA17 and the left triangle inferior frontal gyrus. Conversely, the CAA group showed higher FC values in BA17 and the left central posterior gyrus. Notably, BCVA in amblyopia did not correlate with the area of change in mean FC in the brain function of the CAA group. CONCLUSION Resting-state fMRI-based functional connectivity analysis indicates a significant alteration in V1 of children with anisometropic amblyopia. These findings contribute additional insights into the neuropathological mechanisms underlying visual impairment in anisometropic amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueliang Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dezhou Municipal Hospital, Dezhou, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dezhou Municipal Hospital, Dezhou, China
| | - Xiujuan Li
- Medical Imaging Center, The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Taian, China
| | - Weizhao Lu
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Lisheng Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Dezhou Municipal Hospital, Dezhou, China
| | - Dandan Li
- Department of Radiology, Dezhou Municipal Hospital, Dezhou, China
| | - Di Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Baojian Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Taian, China
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Wang H, Yan X, Zhang Q, Wu Q, Qiu L, Zhou J, Guo P. Altered small-world and disrupted topological properties of functional connectivity networks in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2024; 236:108101. [PMID: 38176218 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.108101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is a disease of the optic nerve, but its effect on brain network topology is still unclear.This study aimed to investigate brain network alterations in NAION patients and to explore their relationship with functional impairment. METHODS Resting-state functional MRI data were collected from 23 NAION patients and 23 matched healthy control subjects.We used graph theory analysis to investigate the global and nodal network topological properties,and network-based statistical (NBS) methods were used to explore intergroup differences in functional connectivity (FC) strength. RESULTS Compared to the control group, NAION patients had lower global efficiency, normalized clustering coefficient and small-world values and higher characteristic path length (P < 0.05). In the hub distributions of functional networks, the NAION group had one hub region disappearing and four hub regions appearing in nodal degree centrality (Dc), and two hubs disappearing and one hub region appearing in nodal betweenness centrality (Bc). The NAION group also had enhanced brain FC primarily associated with the frontal, prefrontal, parietal lobes and cerebellum. Furthermore, the right temporal pole, superior temporal gyrus (r = -0.424), the right inferior temporal gyrus (r = -0.414), the right cerebellar lobule Ⅵ (r = 0.450), and the left cerebellar lobule crus Ⅰ (r = 0.584) were significantly correlated with clinical severity. CONCLUSION NAION patients show disruption and redistribution of FC in specific regions of the brain network, which may be associated with visual impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaoling Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China
| | - Qiuhuan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lixin Qiu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China.
| | - Pengde Guo
- Department of Radiology, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China.
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Zhang X, Liu L, Li Y, Wang K, Zheng G, Zhang Y, Cheng J, Wen B. Altered local spontaneous brain activity pattern in children with right-eye amblyopia of varying degrees: evidence from fMRI. Neuroradiology 2023; 65:1757-1766. [PMID: 37749259 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-023-03221-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the abnormal changes of local brain activity in children with right-eye amblyopia of varying degrees. METHODS Data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were collected from 16 children with severe amblyopia, 17 children with mild to moderate amblyopia, and 15 children with normal binocular vision. Local brain activity was analyzed using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). RESULTS There were extensive ALFF differences among the three groups in 10 brain regions. There were extensive differences in ReHo among the three groups in 11 brain regions. The ALFF and ReHo of the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus displayed a significantly positive correlation with the best-corrected visual acuity of the right eye, respectively. The ALFF value and ReHo value of the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus followed the pattern of normal control < mild to moderate amblyopia < severe amblyopia. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that there were changes in specific patterns of ALFF and ReHo in children with right-eye amblyopia of different degrees in brain regions performing visual sensorimotor and attentional control functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopan Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yadong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Kejia Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Guangying Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Baohong Wen
- Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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Wang Y, Wu Y, Luo L, Li F. Structural and functional alterations in the brains of patients with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia: a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2348-2356. [PMID: 37282452 PMCID: PMC10360096 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.371349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Amblyopia is the most common cause of vision loss in children and can persist into adulthood in the absence of effective intervention. Previous clinical and neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural mechanisms underlying strabismic amblyopia and anisometropic amblyopia may be different. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies investigating brain alterations in patients with these two subtypes of amblyopia; this study is registered with PROSPERO (registration ID: CRD42022349191). We searched three online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science) from inception to April 1, 2022; 39 studies with 633 patients (324 patients with anisometropic amblyopia and 309 patients with strabismic amblyopia) and 580 healthy controls met the inclusion criteria (e.g., case-control designed, peer-reviewed articles) and were included in this review. These studies highlighted that both strabismic amblyopia and anisometropic amblyopia patients showed reduced activation and distorted topological cortical activated maps in the striate and extrastriate cortices during task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging with spatial-frequency stimulus and retinotopic representations, respectively; these may have arisen from abnormal visual experiences. Compensations for amblyopia that are reflected in enhanced spontaneous brain function have been reported in the early visual cortices in the resting state, as well as reduced functional connectivity in the dorsal pathway and structural connections in the ventral pathway in both anisometropic amblyopia and strabismic amblyopia patients. The shared dysfunction of anisometropic amblyopia and strabismic amblyopia patients, relative to controls, is also characterized by reduced spontaneous brain activity in the oculomotor cortex, mainly involving the frontal and parietal eye fields and the cerebellum; this may underlie the neural mechanisms of fixation instability and anomalous saccades in amblyopia. With regards to specific alterations of the two forms of amblyopia, anisometropic amblyopia patients suffer more microstructural impairments in the precortical pathway than strabismic amblyopia patients, as reflected by diffusion tensor imaging, and more significant dysfunction and structural loss in the ventral pathway. Strabismic amblyopia patients experience more attenuation of activation in the extrastriate cortex than in the striate cortex when compared to anisometropic amblyopia patients. Finally, brain structural magnetic resonance imaging alterations tend to be lateralized in the adult anisometropic amblyopia patients, and the patterns of brain alterations are more limited in amblyopic adults than in children. In conclusion, magnetic resonance imaging studies provide important insights into the brain alterations underlying the pathophysiology of amblyopia and demonstrate common and specific alterations in anisometropic amblyopia and strabismic amblyopia patients; these alterations may improve our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ye Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Laboratory of Optometry and Vision Sciences, West China Hospital/West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lekai Luo
- Department of Radiology, West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Fei Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
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Jiang M, Zhang H, Liu Y, Wu S, Qu J, Tang Y, Song Y, Li Y, Sun J, Zhu L, Zhou H, Tao X. Abnormal regional spontaneous neural activity and functional connectivity in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients with different activity: a resting-state fMRI study. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1199251. [PMID: 37475733 PMCID: PMC10354644 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1199251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose We aimed to evaluate the spontaneous neuronal activity and functional connectivity pattern variations using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) measures, such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and functional connectivity (FC), in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Method A total of 24 active TAO patients, 26 inactive TAO patients, and 27 matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. First, ALFF and fALFF were used to detect local neural activity changes, the MRI data were analyzed, and regions with group differences were taken as seeds. Second, FC analysis was performed to explore the altered connection between seeds and other brain regions. A correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between functional brain activity and clinical indices and neuropsychiatric behaviors. Results Compared to HCs, both active and inactive TAO patients exhibited significantly lower ALFF values in the right calcarine (Calcarine_R) and left postcentral gyrus (Postcentral_L). Active TAO patients also showed significantly higher ALFF values in the left caudate nucleus (Caudate_L) and increased fALFF values in the superior lobe of the right cerebellum (Cerebelum_Crus1_R). Moreover, both active and inactive TAO patients demonstrated decreased FC within the left postcentral gyrus (Postcentral_L) compared to HCs. Additionally, active TAO patients exhibited lower FC compared to inactive TAO patients. The ALFF values in the Calcarine_R of active TAO patients positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.5892, p = 0.0049) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS; r = 0.5377, p = 0.0119). Furthermore, the ALFF value in the Calcarine_R of inactive TAO patients negatively correlated with visual functioning (r = -0.5449, p = 0.0072), while the ALFF values in the Caudate_L of active TAO patients positively correlated with visual functioning (r = 0.6496, p = 0.0014). Conclusion We found that the Caudate_L and Cerebelum_Crus1_R related to motor control and coordination in active TAO patients exhibit significant compensatory mechanisms; whereas, the Calcarine_R and Postcentral_L related to visual and somatosensory cortices show varying degrees of impairment. Our findings complement the functional neural mechanism of TAO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengda Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jialu Qu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Tang
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Song
- Department of MR Scientific Marketing, Siemens Healthcare, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinwei Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huifang Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofeng Tao
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Wang G, Tu Y, Hou P, Li P, Liu L. Regulatory role of the p38 MAPK/ATF2 signaling pathway in visual function and visual cortical plasticity in mice with monocular deprivation. Neurosci Lett 2023:137353. [PMID: 37393009 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to examine the role of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) signaling in visual function impairment and visual cortical plasticity in mice with monocular deprivation (MD). METHODS Visual behavioral tests, including visual water task, visual cliff test, and flash visual evoked potential, were performed on each group. We studied the density of dendritic spines and the synaptic ultrastructure by Golgi staining and transmission electron microscope. We performed Western blot and immunohistochemistry and detected the expression of ATF2, PSD-95, p38 MAPK, and phosphor-p38 MAPK in the left visual cortex. RESULTS In the MD + SB group, the visual acuity in deprived eyes substantially improved, the impairment of visual depth perception was alleviated, and the P wave amplitude and C/I ratio increased. The density of dendritic spines and the numerical density of synapses increased significantly, the width of the synaptic cleft decreased significantly, and the length of the active synaptic zone and the thickness of post-synaptic density (PSD) increased substantially. The protein expression of phosphor-p38 MAPK decreased, whereas that of PSD-95 and ATF2 increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS Inhibiting the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and negative feedback upregulated ATF2 expression, alleviated damage to visual function, and protected against synaptic plasticity in mice with MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqu Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, China; Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yanqiong Tu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Peixian Hou
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Pinxiong Li
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, China; Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Wen Z, Kang Y, Zhang Y, Yang H, Zhao Y, Huang X, Xie B. Disrupted dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1174688. [PMID: 37250893 PMCID: PMC10213541 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1174688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease that affects the orbit and is the most prevalent extra-thyroidal complication of Graves' disease. Previous neuroimaging studies have focused on abnormal static regional activity and functional connectivity in patients with TAO. However, the characteristics of local brain activity over time are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate alterations in the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) in patients with active TAO and to distinguish patients with TAO from healthy controls (HCs) using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Methods: A total of 21 patients with TAO and 21 HCs underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. dALFFs were calculated in conjunction with sliding window approaches to assess dynamic regional brain activity and to compare the groups. Then, we used SVM, a machine learning algorithm, to determine whether dALFF maps may be used as diagnostic indicators for TAO. Results: Compared with HCs, patients with active TAO showed decreased dALFF in the right calcarine, lingual gyrus, superior parietal lobule, and precuneus. The SVM model showed an accuracy of 45.24%-47.62% and area under the curve of 0.35-0.44 in distinguishing TAO from HCs. No correlation was found between clinical variables and regional dALFF. Conclusion: Patients with active TAO showed altered dALFF in the visual cortex and the ventral and dorsal visual pathways, providing further details on the pathogenesis of TAO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Wen
- Department of Radiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huaguang Yang
- Department of Radiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yilin Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Baojun Xie
- Department of Radiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Wang G, Liu L. Amblyopia: progress and promise of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022; 261:1229-1246. [PMID: 36282454 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-022-05826-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by functional deficits in the visual cortex. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the most commonly used neuroimaging technique for investigating amblyopia. Herein, we systematically searched a PubMed database from inception to December 2021 to highlight the current progress and promises about fMRI technology in amblyopia; amblyopia's neural mechanism, the comparison of different types of amblyopia, and the evaluation of the therapeutic effect were explored. Relevant articles published in English and appropriate cross-references were considered for inclusion, including basic studies, imaging techniques, clinical diagnostic and therapeutic studies, case series, and reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqu Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Shi WQ, Zhang MX, Tang LY, Ye L, Zhang YQ, Lin Q, Li B, Shao Y, Yu Y. Altered spontaneous brain activity patterns in patients with diabetic retinopathy using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation. World J Diabetes 2022; 13:97-109. [PMID: 35211247 PMCID: PMC8855138 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v13.i2.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by prolonged elevation of blood glucose due to various causes. Currently, the relationship between diabetic retinopathy (DR) and altered connectivity of brain function is unclear.
AIM To investigate the relationship between this brain activity and clinical manifestations and behaviors of DR patients by using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) technique.
METHODS Twenty-four DR patients and 24 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age and gender were enrolled. We measured and recorded average ALFF values of DR patients and HCs and then classified them using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.
RESULTS ALFF values of both left and right posterior cerebellar lobe and right anterior cingulate gyrus were remarkably higher in the DR patients than in the HCs; however, DR patients had lower values in the bilateral calcarine area. ROC curve analysis of different brain regions demonstrated high accuracy in the area under the curve analysis. There was no significant relationship between mean ALFF values for different regions and clinical presentations in DR patients. Neuronal synchronization abnormalities in some brain regions of DR patients were associated with cognitive and visual disorders.
CONCLUSION Abnormal spontaneous brain activity was observed in many areas of DR patients’ brains, which may suggest a possible link between clinical manifestations and behaviors in DR patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Qing Shi
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Mou-Xin Zhang
- Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Li-Ying Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Lei Ye
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yu-Qing Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Qi Lin
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yao Yu
- Department of Endocrinology and Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi clinical research center for endocrine and metabolic disease, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
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Investigation of changes in the activity and function of dry eye-associated brain regions using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations method. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:230592. [PMID: 34981112 PMCID: PMC8753344 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The local characteristics of spontaneous brain activity in patients with dry eye (DE) and its relationship with clinical characteristics were evaluated using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) method. Methods: A total of 27 patients with DE (10 males and 17 females) and 28 healthy controls (HCs) (10 males and 18 females) were recruited, matched according to sex, age, weight and height, classified into the DE and HC groups, and examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Spontaneous brain activity changes were recorded using ALFF technology. Data were recorded and plotted on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, reflecting changes in activity in different brain areas. Finally, Pearson correlation analysis was used to calculate the potential relationship between spontaneous brain activity abnormalities in multiple brain regions and clinical features in patients with DE. GraphPad Prism 8 (GraphPad Software, Inc.) was used to analyze the linear correlation between the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and ALFF value. Results: Compared with HCs, the ALFF values of patients with DE were decreased in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG)/right inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), left triangle inferior frontal gyrus, left MFG, and right superior frontal gyrus. In contrast, the ALFF value of patients with DE was increased in the left calcarine. Conclusion: There are significant fluctuations in the ALFF value of specific brain regions in patients with DE versus HCs. This corroborates previous evidence showing that the symptoms of ocular surface damage in patients with DE are related to dysfunction in specific brain areas.
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Dai P, Zhou X, Ou Y, Xiong T, Zhang J, Chen Z, Zou B, Wei X, Wu Y, Xiao M. Altered Effective Connectivity of Children and Young Adults With Unilateral Amblyopia: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:657576. [PMID: 34295218 PMCID: PMC8290343 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.657576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The altered functional connectivity (FC) in amblyopia has been investigated by many studies, but the specific causality of brain connectivity needs to be explored further to understand the brain activity of amblyopia. We investigated whether the effective connectivity (EC) of children and young adults with amblyopia was altered. The subjects included 16 children and young adults with left eye amblyopia and 17 healthy controls (HCs). The abnormalities between the left/right primary visual cortex (PVC) and the other brain regions were investigated in a voxel-wise manner using the Granger causality analysis (GCA). According to the EC results in the HCs and the distribution of visual pathways, 12 regions of interest (ROIs) were selected to construct an EC network. The alteration of the EC network of the children and young adults with amblyopia was analyzed. In the voxel-wise manner analysis, amblyopia showed significantly decreased EC between the left/right of the PVC and the left middle frontal gyrus/left inferior frontal gyrus compared with the HCs. In the EC network analysis, compared with the HCs, amblyopia showed significantly decreased EC from the left calcarine fissure, posterior cingulate gyrus, left lingual gyrus, right lingual gyrus, and right fusiform gyrus to the right calcarine fissure. Amblyopia also showed significantly decreased EC from the right inferior frontal gyrus and right lingual gyrus to the left superior temporal gyrus compared with the HCs in the EC network analysis. The results may indicate that amblyopia altered the visual feedforward and feedback pathway, and amblyopia may have a greater relevance with the feedback pathway than the feedforward pathway. Amblyopia may also correlate with the feedforward of the third visual pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peishan Dai
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhou
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yilin Ou
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tong Xiong
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinlong Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zailiang Chen
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Beiji Zou
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Engineering Research Center of Machine Vision and Intelligent Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Wei
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, China
| | - Manyi Xiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, China
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Xiao A, Ge QM, Zhong HF, Zhang LJ, Shu HY, Liang RB, Shao Y, Zhou Q. White Matter Hyperintensities of Bilateral Lenticular Putamen in Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Voxel-based Morphometric Study. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2021; 14:3653-3665. [PMID: 34408460 PMCID: PMC8366956 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s321270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the changes in gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS In total, 15 patients (10 males, 5 females) with PDR were enrolled to the patient group and 15 healthy controls (10 males, 5 females) to the control group, matched for age, sex, handedness, and education status. All individuals underwent voxel-based morphometry scans. GMV and WMV were compared between the two groups. RESULTS GMV in bilateral superior temporal gyrus, sixth area of left cerebellum, left middle temporal gyrus, left orbital inferior frontal gyrus and left middle cingulum gyrus and WMV in left thalamus and left precuneus were significantly lower in patients than controls (P<0.01). Conversely, WMV was significantly higher in bilateral lenticular putamen of patients than controls (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Abnormal GMV and WMV in many specific areas of the cerebrum provide new insights for exploration of the occurrence and development of DR and its pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Xiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian-Min Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui-Feng Zhong
- Department of Intensive Care, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, 341000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li-Juan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui-Ye Shu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rong-Bin Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Yi Shao; Qiong Zhou Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, No. 17, YongWaiZheng Street, DongHu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China Tel/Fax +86 791-88692520; +86 791-88694639 Email ;
| | - Qiong Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China
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Enhanced Gray Matter Volume Compensates for Decreased Brain Activity in the Ocular Motor Area in Children with Anisometropic Amblyopia. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8060869. [PMID: 32377181 PMCID: PMC7182973 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8060869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Anisometropic amblyopia usually occurs during early childhood and results in monocular visual deficit. Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated structural and functional alterations in pediatric anisometropic amblyopia (PAA) patients. However, the relationship between structural and functional alterations remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between structural and functional alterations in PAA patients. Materials and Methods Eighteen PAA patients and 14 healthy children underwent a multimodal MRI scanning including T1WI and functional MRI (fMRI). Voxel-based morphometry was used to assess structural alterations between PAA patients and healthy children. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to investigate changes in local spontaneous brain activity in the enrolled subjects. Correlations between structural, functional alterations, and clinical information were analyzed in the PAA group. Results Compared with healthy children, PAA patients exhibited significantly reduced ReHo of spontaneous brain activity in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and increased gray matter volume in the right lobules 4 and 5 of the cerebellum. The gray matter volume of the right lobules 4 and 5 of the cerebellum was negatively correlated with the ReHo values of the right MFG. Conclusions Our findings may suggest that PAA patients experience structural and functional abnormalities in brain regions related to oculomotor and visual-spatial information. In addition, the increased gray matter volume may compensate the decreased brain activity in the oculomotor regions, which reflects compensatory or neural plasticity in PAA patients.
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Elflein HM, Schuster AK, Pitz S, Hardt J, Nickels S, Münzel T, Wild PS, Beutel ME, Blettner M, Lackner KJ, Pfeiffer N, Unterrainer JM. Intact Visuospatial Cognition in Amblyopia: Results From the Gutenberg Health Study. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2019; 56:397-401. [PMID: 31743409 DOI: 10.3928/01913913-20190925-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether amblyopia interferes with cognitive functions requiring visuospatial processing, measured by the Tower of London (ToL) test. METHODS The current study was based on a sub-cohort from the population-based Gutenberg Health Study and included 1,569 participants aged 35 to 44 years. Amblyopia was defined as a visual acuity of 0.63 or worse (worse eye) in the presence of an amblyogenic factor; prevalence was 5%. There were three groups: participants with amblyopia (n = 78), participants with a visual acuity of 0.63 or worse (worse eye) without amblyopia (n = 65), and participants with a visual acuity of better than 0.63 (worse eye) (n = 1,426). Visuospatial planning ability was measured by the ToL test (touch-screen version), and the performance score ranged from 0 to 24, depending on the number of correctly solved problems. The authors used linear regression models to investigate the association between amblyopia and ToL test scores, adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS The mean ± standard deviation of ToL test performance was 15.31 ± 3.29 in participants with a visual acuity of better than 0.63, 14.56 ± 3.76 in the amblyopic group, and 15.14 ± 3.65 in participants with a visual acuity of 0.63 or worse without amblyopia. In a linear regression model, sex, and socioeconomic status significantly predicted planning performance (P <.0001), whereas amblyopic status did not (P = .20). CONCLUSIONS Amblyopia may affect visuospatial perception, but no such relationships could be found for higher cognitive functions that strongly depend on visuospatial processing. Thus, in adulthood, individuals with amblyopia are unaffected in their visuospatial cognitive abilities, as required by the ToL test. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2019;56(6):397-401.].
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Yang X, Lu L, Li Q, Huang X, Gong Q, Liu L. Altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with strabismic amblyopia: A resting-state fMRI study using regional homogeneity analysis. Exp Ther Med 2019; 18:3877-3884. [PMID: 31616514 PMCID: PMC6781806 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.8038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to compare the regional homogeneity (ReHo) of resting-state brain function between subjects with strabismic amblyopia and normal controls. A total of 12 adult patients with strabismic amblyopia and 34 age- and gender-matched normal controls were enrolled in the present study. All patients were subjected to resting-state magnetic resonance imaging using a Siemens Trio 3.0T magnetic resonance scanner. ReHo values of the whole brain were calculated and standardized. An independent-samples t-test was used to analyze the differences in ReHo values between the two groups. Patients with strabismic amblyopia exhibited reduced ReHo values in certain parts of the occipital lobe, including the lingual gyrus, cuneus and superior occipital gyrus. Increased ReHo values were observed in the precuneus and certain parts of the prefrontal cortex of patients with strabismic amblyopia, including the superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus. The ReHo index of the precuneus was negatively correlated with age. However, there was no correlation between the ReHo values and the visual acuity of patients with strabismic amblyopia. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the greatest area under curve (AUC) value was in the medial prefrontal cortex (AUC=0.864). The results of the present study suggested that visual information processing may be impaired in visual areas V1 and V2. Furthermore, adult patients with strabismic amblyopia exhibited brain plasticity that compensated for visuomotor coordination and visuospatial imagery deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xubo Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.,Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Lu Lu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China.,Department of Optometry and Visual Science, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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Liang M, Xiao H, Xie B, Yin X, Wang J, Yang H. Morphologic changes in the visual cortex of patients with anisometropic amblyopia: a surface-based morphometry study. BMC Neurosci 2019; 20:39. [PMID: 31375091 PMCID: PMC6679496 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-019-0524-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amblyopia is generally considered a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from abnormal visual experiences in early childhood and may persist to adulthood. The neural basis of amblyopia has been a matter of interest for many decades, but the critical neural processing sites in amblyopia are not entirely understood. Although many functional neuroimaging studies have found abnormal neuronal responses both within and beyond V1, few studies have focused on the neurophysiologic abnormalities in the visual cortex from the viewpoint of potential structural reorganization. In this study, we used a well-validated and highly accurate surface-based method to examine cortical morphologic changes in the visual cortex using multiple parameters (including cortical thickness, surface area, volume and mean curvature). RESULTS The cortical thicknesses of the bilateral V1, left V2, left ventral V3, left V4 and left V5/MT+ in patients were significantly thinner than that in controls. The mean curvature of the bilateral V1 was significantly increased in the patients compared with the controls. For the surface area and gray matter volume, no significant differences were found between patients and controls in all region of interests. The cortical thicknesses of the bilateral V1 were both negatively correlated with the amount of anisometropia. No significant correlations were found between any other surface parameters and clinical variables. CONCLUSION In addition to cortical thickness, the altered mean curvature of the cortex may indicate neuroanatomic impairments of the visual cortex in patients with anisometropic amblyopia. Moreover, the structural changes were bilateral in the primary visual cortex but were unilateral in the secondary and more senior visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglong Liang
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Radiology, Aviation Medical Evaluation & Training Center of Airforce in Hangzhou, Hangzhou, Zhejiang China
| | - He Xiao
- Department of Outpatient, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bing Xie
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuntao Yin
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Altered Spontaneous Brain Activity of Children with Unilateral Amblyopia: A Resting State fMRI Study. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:3681430. [PMID: 31428144 PMCID: PMC6683781 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3681430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study is aimed at investigating differences in local brain activity and functional connectivity (FC) between children with unilateral amblyopia and healthy controls (HCs) by using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods Local activity and FC analysis methods were used to explore the altered spontaneous brain activity of children with unilateral amblyopia. Local brain function analysis methods included the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF). FC analysis methods consisted of the FC between the primary visual cortex (PVC-FC) and other brain regions and the FC network between regions of interest (ROIs-FC) selected by independent component analysis. Results The ALFF in the bilateral frontal, temporal, and occipital lobes in the amblyopia group was lower than that in the HCs. The weakened PVC-FC was mainly concentrated in the frontal lobe and the angular gyrus. The ROIs-FC between the default mode network, salience network, and primary visual cortex network (PVCN) were significantly reduced, whereas the ROIs-FC between the PVCN and the high-level visual cortex network were significantly increased in amblyopia. Conclusions Unilateral amblyopia may reduce local brain activity and FC in the dorsal and ventral visual pathways and affect the top-down attentional control. Amblyopia may also alter FC between brain functional networks. These findings may help understand the pathological mechanisms of children with amblyopia.
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Wang Y, Shao Y, Shi WQ, Jiang L, Wang XY, Zhu PW, Yuan Q, Gao G, Lv JL, Wang GX. The predictive potential of altered spontaneous brain activity patterns in diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. EPMA J 2019; 10:249-259. [PMID: 31462942 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-019-00171-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Objective The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) fMRI technique was used to study the changes of spontaneous brain activity in patients with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy (DRN), and to explore the application of ALFF technique in the potential prediction and the targeted prevention of diabetic microangiopathy. Methods Nineteen patients with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy and 19 healthy controls (HCs) were matched for age and gender. Spontaneous cerebral activity variations were investigated using the ALFF technique. The average ALFF values of the DRN patients and the HCs were classified utilizing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results In contrast to the results in the HCs, the patients with DRN had significantly higher ALFF values in the cerebellum (bilaterally in the posterior and anterior lobes) and the left inferior temporal gyrus, but the ALFF values of the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, left middle/inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus, and left inferior parietal lobule were lower. ROC curve analysis of each brain region showed the accuracy of AUC was excellent. However, the mean ALFF values in the different regions did not correlate with clinical performance. The subjects showed abnormal neuronal synchronization in many areas of the brain, which is consistent with cognitive and visual functional deficits. Conclusion Abnormal spontaneous activity was detected in many areas of the brain, which may provide useful information for understanding the pathology of DRN. Abnormal ALFF values of these brain regions may be of predictive value in the development of early DRN and be a targeted intervention indicator for individualized treatment of diabetic microvascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No 17, YongWaiZheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Shao
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Wen-Qing Shi
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Lei Jiang
- 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No 17, YongWaiZheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Yu Wang
- 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No 17, YongWaiZheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Pei-Wen Zhu
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Qing Yuan
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
| | - Ge Gao
- 3Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No 17, YongWaiZheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Lei Lv
- 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No 17, YongWaiZheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Gong-Xian Wang
- 4Department of Urinary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi China
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Shi WQ, Wu W, Ye L, Jiang N, Liu WF, Shu YQ, Su T, Lin Q, Min YL, Li B, Zhu PW, Shao Y. Altered spontaneous brain activity patterns in patients with corneal ulcer using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: An fMRI study. Exp Ther Med 2019; 18:125-132. [PMID: 31258645 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.7550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with corneal ulcer (CU) through the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) technique and the association with their visual performance. A total of 40 patients with CU and 40 healthy controls (HCs) matched for sex, age and educational level were enrolled. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed to examine the probands. Spontaneous cerebral activity variations were investigated using the ALFF technique. The average ALFF values of the CU patients and the HCs were classified by utilizing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Contrary to HCs, the CU patients had significantly lower ALFF values in the left cerebellar anterior lobe, right middle frontal gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus, but higher ALFF values in the right cerebellar inferior lobe, left cerebellar inferior lobe, left inferior temporal gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, right angular gyrus and bilateral superior frontal gyrus. ROC curve analysis of each brain region indicated that the accuracy of ALFF value specificity between the CU and HCs of the area under the curve was perfect. In conclusion, abnormal spontaneous activities were detected in numerous brain regions of CU patients, which may provide useful information for understanding the dysfunction of CU. These activity changes in brain regions may be used as effective clinical indicators for CU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Qing Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Lei Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Feng Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Qiang Shu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Ting Su
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, P.R. China
| | - Qi Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - You-Lan Min
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Pei-Wen Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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Shao Y, Li QH, Li B, Lin Q, Su T, Shi WQ, Zhu PW, Yuan Q, Shu YQ, He Y, Liu WF, Ye L. Altered brain activity in patients with strabismus and amblyopia detected by analysis of regional homogeneity: A resting‑state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Mol Med Rep 2019; 19:4832-4840. [PMID: 31059016 PMCID: PMC6522834 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that strabismus or amblyopia can result in marked brain function and anatomical alterations. However, differences in spontaneous brain activity in strabismus and amblyopia (SA) patients as compared with control individuals remain unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the potential brain activity changes in SA patients and their association with behavioral performance. In total, 16 patients with SA (10 women and 6 men) and 16 healthy controls (HCs; 6 men and 10 women) with matched age and sex were recruited. All subjects were examined with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and changes in the spontaneous brain activity of SA patients were evaluated by the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method. The diagnostic ability of the ReHo method was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In addition, the association between the mean ReHo value in different brain regions and the behavioral performance was explored by correlation analysis. It was observed that the ReHo value was significantly increased in SA patients compared with HCs in the following brain regions: left lingual gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus/precuneus, bilateral anterior cingulate, left middle occipital gyrus and bilateral precentral gyrus. By contrast, the ReHo value of the left inferior frontal gyrus was significantly lower than that in HCs. ROC curve analysis indicated that the ReHo method has certain credibility for the diagnosis of SA patients. In addition, no similar changes were detected in other brain regions. These results revealed abnormal spontaneous brain activity in certain parts of the brain in adult patients with SA, which suggests the involvement of the neuropathological or compensatory mechanism in these patients, and may be beneficial for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Qing-Hai Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Qi Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Ting Su
- Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian 361000, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Qing Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Pei-Wen Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Qing Yuan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Qiang Shu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Medical Imaging Research Institute, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Ying He
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Feng Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Lei Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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23
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Lu L, Li Q, Zhang L, Tang S, Yang X, Liu L, Sweeney JA, Gong Q, Huang X. Altered cortical morphology of visual cortex in adults with monocular amblyopia. J Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 50:1405-1412. [PMID: 30854758 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.26708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neural mechanism of amblyopia and its impact on the adult brain remain unclear. This hinders effective treatment for adults with this disease. PURPOSE To investigate neuroanatomical differences in cortical morphometry between amblyopic adults and healthy controls, and to explore the structural covariance of abnormal morphometric changes. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION Twenty-one amblyopic adults and 34 healthy controls. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3T MRI, T1 -weighted, MPRAGE sequence. ASSESSMENT All participants completed ophthalmologic exams to confirm the diagnosis of amblyopia or its absence in the healthy controls, including tests of ocular motility and dilation, fundus exam, autorefraction and synoptophore tests. Cortical volume, thickness, and surface area measurements were obtained using FreeSurfer software. STATISTICAL TESTS Statistical differences of MRI measures between amblyopic adults and healthy controls were identified using a general linear model with intracranial volume and age as covariates. Monte Carlo simulations were used to correct for multiple comparisons. The structural covariance of abnormal morphometric changes and the relationship between morphometric abnormalities and visual acuity of the amblyopic eye were examined. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, amblyopic adults showed reduced cortical volume in left lateral occipital cortex, and decreased cortical thickness in bilateral inferior temporal gyrus and left precentral gyrus (P < 0.05; Monte Carlo corrected). Structural covariance between cortical volume of left lateral occipital cortex and cortical thickness of right inferior temporal gyrus in amblyopic adults was significantly less than in healthy controls (z = 1.73; P < 0.05). DATA CONCLUSION Our study identified morphological abnormalities in occipital cortex and in temporal and frontal cortex which are projection fields of visual cortex important for processing of visual form and object location information, and disrupted structural covariance of visual cortex with other brain regions in amblyopic patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1405-1412.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Henan Eye Institute, Henan Eye Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lianqing Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shi Tang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xubo Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Longqian Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - John A Sweeney
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Visual cortex neural activity alteration in cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients: a resting-state fMRI study. Neuroradiology 2018; 60:921-932. [PMID: 30066277 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-018-2061-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We sought to investigate visual cortex neural activity and functional connectivity (FC) alterations in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) patients using resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and to explore the relationships of these alterations with visual disorder. METHODS Twenty-seven CSM patients and 11 healthy controls were recruited as the study and control groups. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) values were calculated to represent neural activity, seed-based correlation analysis (SCA) was performed to analyze the FC of visual cortex, and the outcomes were compared between groups. The preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (pre-BCVA) and postoperative BCVA (post-BCVA) of study groups were measured. Correlation analyses of the ALFF/ReHo values with the preoperative and postoperative BCVAs were performed. Correlations of the bilateral BCVAs with the ipsilateral and contralateral visual cortex neural activities were performed. RESULTS The ALFF/ReHo values were decreased in the occipital lobe and increased in the cerebellar posterior lobe in the study group (P < 0.05). Increased FC was demonstrated between Brodmann's area 17 and posterior cingulate lobe (P < 0.05). Postoperatively, the BCVAs were ameliorated in 22 oculi dexter (ODs) and 20 oculi sinister (OSs) in the study group. Positive correlations between neural activity in the visual cortex and the preoperative and postoperative BCVAs were detected in the study group. The bilateral BCVAs were positively correlated with either the ipsilateral or contralateral visual cortex neural activity. CONCLUSION Both ALFF/ReHo value changes and positive correlations of these changes with BCVA were demonstrated in CSM. The FC between the visual cortex and posterior cingulate lobe was also increased in CSM.
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Mendola JD, Lam J, Rosenstein M, Lewis LB, Shmuel A. Partial correlation analysis reveals abnormal retinotopically organized functional connectivity of visual areas in amblyopia. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 18:192-201. [PMID: 29868445 PMCID: PMC5984596 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Amblyopia is a prevalent developmental visual disorder of childhood that typically persists in adults. Due to altered visual experience during critical periods of youth, the structure and function of adult visual cortex is abnormal. In addition to substantial deficits shown with task-based fMRI, previous studies have used resting state measures to demonstrate altered long-range connectivity in amblyopia. This is the first study in amblyopia to analyze connectivity between regions of interest that are smaller than a single cortical area and to apply partial correlation analysis to reduce network effects. We specifically assess short-range connectivity between retinotopically defined regions of interest within the occipital lobe of 8 subjects with amblyopia and 7 subjects with normal vision (aged 19–45). The representations of visual areas V1, V2, and V3 within each of the four quadrants of visual space were further subdivided into three regions based on maps of visual field eccentricity. Connectivity between pairs of all nine regions of interest in each quadrant was tested via correlation and partial correlation for both groups. Only the tests of partial correlation, i.e., correlation between time courses of two regions following the regression of time courses from all other regions, yielded significant differences between resting state functional connectivity in amblyopic and normal subjects. Subjects with amblyopia showed significantly higher partial correlation between para-foveal and more eccentric representations within V1, and this effect associated with poor acuity of the worse eye. In addition, we observed reduced correlation in amblyopic subjects between isoeccentricity regions in V1 and V2, and separately, between such regions in V2 and V3. We conclude that partial correlation-based connectivity is altered in an eccentricity-dependent pattern in visual field maps of amblyopic patients. Moreover, results are consistent with known clinical and psychophysical vision loss. More broadly, this provides evidence that abnormal cortical adaptations to disease may be better isolated with tests of partial correlation connectivity than with the regular correlation techniques that are currently widely used.
Cortical functional connectivity abnormalities exist in amblyopia at a scale finer than previously reported. Connectivity changes within primary visual cortex are consistent with known loss of function. Connectivity changes between visual areas are consistent with concept of deafferentation. Partial correlation differentiates patients from controls, whereas correlation does not.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Mendola
- Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - J Lam
- Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - M Rosenstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - L B Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - A Shmuel
- Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Min YL, Su T, Shu YQ, Liu WF, Chen LL, Shi WQ, Jiang N, Zhu PW, Yuan Q, Xu XW, Ye L, Shao Y. Altered spontaneous brain activity patterns in strabismus with amblyopia patients using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: a resting-state fMRI study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:2351-2359. [PMID: 30275692 PMCID: PMC6157537 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s171462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have demonstrated that strabismus or amblyopia can result in markedly brain function and anatomical alterations. However, the differences in spontaneous brain activities of strabismus with amblyopia (SA) patients still remain unclear. This current study intended to use the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) technique to investigate the intrinsic brain activity changes in SA subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 16 patients with SA (6 males and 10 females) and 16 healthy controls (HCs; 6 males and 10 females) similarly matched in age, gender, and education status were recruited and examined with the resting-state functional MRI. The spontaneous brain activity changes were investigated using the ALFF technique. The receiver operating characteristic curve was performed to classify the mean ALFF signal values of the SA patients from HCs. The correlations between the ALFF values of distinct brain regions and the clinical manifestations in SA patients were evaluated in terms of the Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS Compared with HCs, SA patients had significantly decreased ALFF in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, left middle frontal gyrus, and bilateral thalamus. In contrast, SA patients showed increased ALFF values in the right superior frontal gyrus, right precuneus, left cuneus, and bilateral precentral gyrus. Nonetheless, there was no linear correlation between the mean ALFF values in brain regions and clinical features. CONCLUSION Diverse brain regions including vision-related and motion-related areas exhibited aberrant intrinsic brain activity patterns, which imply the neuropathologic mechanisms of oculomotor disorder and vision deficit in the SA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Lan Min
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Ting Su
- Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Yong-Qiang Shu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China
| | - Wen-Feng Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Ling-Long Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China
| | - Wen-Qing Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Nan Jiang
- Eye Institute of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Pei-Wen Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Qing Yuan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Xiao-Wei Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Lei Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Clinical Ophthalmology Institute, Nanchang 330006 Jiangxi, China,
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The burden of pure anisometropic amblyopia: a cross-sectional study on 2800 Iranians. Int Ophthalmol 2017; 38:29-34. [PMID: 29236204 DOI: 10.1007/s10792-017-0784-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the proportion of pure anisometropic amblyopia in a sample Iranian (white) population. METHODS A total of 2800 consecutive individuals who presented at a referral eye clinic for any reason were examined for the presence of pure anisometropic amblyopia. Anisometropia was reported when a spherical equivalent refraction difference of at least 1.0 D with or without a cylinder refraction difference of at least 1.0 D was present between the two eyes. Amblyopia was defined as the best-corrected visual acuity of 20/30 or worse or a two-line interocular visual acuity difference between eyes that could not be attributed to any structural ocular pathology or visual pathway abnormality. RESULTS Subjects were 1528 females and 1272 males with a mean age of 30.25 ± 14.93 years (range, 5-65). Amblyopia was diagnosed in 192 cases (6.9%), significantly more frequent among females (7.9 vs. 5.7%, p = 0.02). Pure anisometropic amblyopia was present in 6.1% of the study population, significantly more common in patients with spherical hyperopic anisometropia (37.7%) compared to patients with spherical myopic anisometropia (21.3%), cylindrical myopic anisometropia (4.1%), and cylindrical hyperopic anisometropia (15%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Pure anisometropic amblyopia is a common finding in Caucasians seeking eye care, particularly when anisometropia is of spherical hyperopic subtype.
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Tang A, Chen T, Zhang J, Gong Q, Liu L. Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity in Patients With Anisometropic Amblyopia Using Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2017; 54:303-310. [PMID: 28617520 DOI: 10.3928/01913913-20170320-05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the abnormality of spontaneous activity in patients with anisometropic amblyopia under resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI). METHODS Twenty-four participants were split into two groups. The anisometropic amblyopia group had 10 patients, all of whom had anisometropic amblyopia of the right eye, and the control group had 14 healthy subjects. All participants underwent Rs-fMRI scanning. Measurement of amplitude of low frequency fluctuations of the brain, which is a measure of the amplitudes of spontaneous brain activity, was used to investigate brain changes between the anisometropic amblyopia and control groups. RESULTS Compared with an age- and gender-matched control group, the anisometropic amblyopia group showed increased amplitude of low frequency fluctuations of spontaneous brain activity in the left superior temporal gyrus, the left inferior parietal lobe, the left pons, and the right inferior semi-lunar lobe. The anisometropic amblyopia group also showed decreased amplitude of low frequency fluctuations in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated abnormal spontaneous brain activities in patients with anisometropic amblyopia under Rs-fMRI, and these abnormalities might contribute to the neuropathological mechanisms of anisometropic amblyopia. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(5):303-310.].
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