Structural and functional brain changes in early- and mid-stage primary open-angle glaucoma using voxel-based...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Ophthalmology
• Neurology

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Understanding the central nervous system's involvement in POAG is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate structural and functional brain alterations in POAG patients using advanced MRI techniques.
• To explore correlations between brain changes and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in POAG.

Main Methods:

• Employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM-DARTEL) for structural MRI analysis.
• Utilized blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI (BOLD-fMRI) for functional brain imaging.
• Recruited 13 POAG patients and 13 age/sex-matched healthy controls.

Main Results:

• POAG patients showed significant volume increases in the midbrain, brainstem, frontal gyrus, cerebellum, and thalamus (P < 0.001).
• Significant BOLD signal changes were observed in the supramarginal gyrus, frontal gyrus, cuneus, and midcingulate cortex (P < 0.001).
• Many affected brain regions demonstrated strong correlations with RNFL thickness.

Conclusions:

• POAG is associated with widespread structural and functional brain changes.
• These findings highlight the complex neurodegenerative aspects of POAG beyond the optic nerve.