Department of Ophthalmology, Dezhou Municipal Hospital, Dezhou, China.
Medical Imaging Center, The Affiliated Taian City Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Taian, China.
Ophthalmic Res. 2024;67(1):275-281. doi: 10.1159/000538380. Epub 2024 Apr 8.
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.
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.
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.
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.
本研究旨在通过静息态功能连接分析方法探讨屈光不正性弱视儿童初级视皮层（V1）的功能连接，确定屈光不正性弱视是否与脑功能变化有关。
对 16 例屈光不正性弱视儿童（CAA 组）和 12 例健康儿童（HC 组）在静息状态下进行功能磁共振成像（fMRI）数据采集。以布罗德曼区 17（BA17）为感兴趣区，分析两组 V1 的功能连接。采用两样本 t 检验分析两组间 V1 功能连接值的差异。采用 Pearson 相关分析 CAA 组脑功能变化区的平均功能连接值与弱视最佳矫正视力（BCVA）的相关性。p < 0.05 为差异有统计学意义。
CAA 组与 HC 组的年龄和性别比较差异无统计学意义（p > 0.05）。与 HC 组相比，CAA 组 BA17 与左侧额内侧回、BA17 与左侧额下回三角部的功能连接值降低，BA17 与左侧中央后回的功能连接值升高。弱视的 BCVA 与 CAA 组脑功能变化区平均功能连接值的变化面积无相关性。
基于静息态 fMRI 的功能连接分析表明，屈光不正性弱视儿童 V1 的功能连接存在明显改变。这些发现为屈光不正性弱视视觉损害的神经病理机制提供了更多的见解。
