Central network changes in patients with advanced monocular blindness: A voxel-based morphometric study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• Monocular blindness (MB) can lead to structural brain changes.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for diagnosing and managing visual impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gray matter volume (GMV) alterations in patients with advanced monocular blindness (MB).
• To explore the relationship between GMV changes and the duration of blindness.

Main Methods:

• Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to analyze brain structure.
• Thirty-one patients with advanced MB and 31 controls were compared.
• Statistical analyses included t-tests, correlation, and regression analyses.

Main Results:

• MB patients exhibited decreased GMV in the bilateral insular cortex, right cingulate gyrus, left occipital gyrus, and right suboccipital lobe.
• GMV reduction in certain areas was negatively correlated with the duration of blindness.
• Abnormal white matter volume (WMV) and GMV were observed in MB patients.

Conclusions:

• Advanced monocular blindness is associated with significant GMV and WMV abnormalities.
• The duration of blindness impacts GMV, suggesting progressive neuropathological changes.
• These findings highlight potential mechanisms underlying visual loss in MB.