Structural brain abnormalities in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma: a study with 3T MR imaging.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Radiology

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• While optic nerve damage is characteristic, central nervous system (CNS) involvement is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate CNS structural changes in patients with advanced POAG.
• To compare brain gray matter volume and optic nerve dimensions between POAG patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A clinical observational study included 15 patients with advanced POAG and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measured retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness.
• 3D MRI with VBM analyzed optic nerve/chiasm area and brain gray matter volume.

Main Results:

• POAG patients had significantly reduced gray matter volume in multiple brain regions, including the lingual and calcarine gyri, compared to controls.
• Gray matter volume increased in other areas like the middle temporal gyrus in POAG patients.
• POAG patients exhibited significantly decreased optic nerve/chiasm cross-sectional area and RNFL thickness.

Conclusions:

• Advanced POAG is associated with widespread structural abnormalities in the CNS, extending beyond the visual cortex.
• 3D MRI reveals significant brain alterations in POAG patients, highlighting the systemic impact of the disease.