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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Assessing Binocular Central Visual Field and Binocular Eye Movements in a Dichoptic Viewing Condition
Published on: July 21, 2020
Functional magnetic resonance imaging of binocular interactions in visual cortex in strabismus
Vincent J Chen1, Kristina Tarczy-Hornoch
1Department of Radiology and Vision Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
Purpose:
To observe changes in primary visual cortical activation associated with perceptual suppression in individuals with strabismus, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Methods:
In Phase 1, pilot data were collected from 1 control and 8 strabismic participants, including 5 with amblyopia. In Phase 2, results were collected from 7 participants with strabismus (2 recalled and 5 new), including 2 with amblyopia. fMRI compared primary visual cortex activation in two conditions: visual stimuli presented to both eyes, to evoke perceptual suppression of one eye in individuals with strabismus, and visual stimulation presented only to one eye.
Results:
Visual cortical activity modulations positively correlated with perceptual suppression were seen in 3 of 5 non-amblyopic Phase 2 study participants, but not in amblyopic subjects.
Conclusion:
Cortical activity modulations correlated with modulation of strabismic suppression are detectable in non-amblyopic individuals using fMRI, suggesting a neural basis for strabismic suppression in primary visual cortex.
