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Probing Human Visual Deficits with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Stelios M Smirnakis1,2,3
1Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Annual Review of Vision Science
|May 24, 2017
Summary
Visual system injuries cause varied deficits. Functional MRI helps understand surviving visual circuits and guides rehabilitation strategies for conditions like primary visual cortex lesions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Visual system injuries lead to diverse deficits, from scotomas to perceptual dysfunction.
- Patient variability in recovery and rehabilitation capacity persists despite anatomical localization.
- Standard visual field perimetry may not fully capture underlying functional or anatomical issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review primary visual cortex lesions and their impact on visual perception.
- To explore how functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can elucidate visual circuit function post-injury.
- To identify training-modifiable pathways for enhanced visual rehabilitation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on primary visual cortex lesions.
- Discussion of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) applications in visual neuroscience.
- Analysis of visual field perimetry and its limitations.
Main Results:
- Primary visual cortex lesions result in dense contralateral scotomas.
- fMRI offers insights into the function of residual visual pathways.
- Correlation between injury patterns and residual visual perception can be improved.
Conclusions:
- Understanding surviving visual circuits is key to predicting rehabilitation outcomes.
- fMRI aids in classifying functional deficits and guiding personalized rehabilitation.
- Targeting specific neural pathways may optimize visual recovery after injury.
