Functional abnormalities of the visual processing system in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: an fMRI study
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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) of the Visual Cortex with Wide-View Retinotopic Stimulation
Published on: December 8, 2023
Arun Lawrence Warren Bokde1, Patricia Lopez-Bayo, Christine Born
1Dementia and Neuroimaging Research Section, Alzheimer Memorial Center and Geriatric Psychiatry Branch, Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany. Arun.Bokde@tcd.ie
Abstract:
Subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with healthy controls (HC). Sensory impairment can contribute to the severity of cognitive impairment. We measured the activation changes in the visual system between MCI and HC subjects. There were 16 MCI subjects with either amnestic MCI or multiple-domain+amnestic MCI and an HC group of 19 subjects. There were two tasks: (a) a face matching and (b) a location matching task. Brain activation was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. There were no differences in task performance. The HC group selectively activated the ventral and dorsal pathways during the face and location matching tasks, respectively, while the MCI group did not. The MCI group had greater activation than the HC group in the left frontal lobe during the location matching task. There were no areas of increased activation in the HC group compared with the MCI group. The MCI group, as a compensatory mechanism, activated both visual pathways and increased activation in the left frontal lobe during the location matching task compared with the healthy controls. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has examined visual processing in MCI.
Insights
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) show altered visual system activation during complex tasks compared to healthy controls (HC). This suggests potential compensatory mechanisms in the brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
- Sensory impairments can exacerbate cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visual system activation differences between MCI and healthy control (HC) subjects.
- To explore potential compensatory mechanisms in the visual processing of MCI patients.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activation.
- 16 MCI subjects and 19 HC subjects performed face and location matching tasks.
- Task performance was compared between groups.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in task performance were observed between MCI and HC groups.
- HC subjects showed selective activation of ventral (face) and dorsal (location) pathways.
- MCI subjects exhibited atypical activation patterns, including increased left frontal lobe activity during location matching, suggesting compensatory processes.
Conclusions:
- The MCI group demonstrated altered visual pathway activation and increased frontal lobe engagement, indicative of compensatory strategies.
- This study is the first to examine visual processing alterations in individuals with MCI.
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