Altered fMRI-derived functional connectivity in patients with high-tension glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• High-tension glaucoma (HTG) is linked to brain functional changes.
• Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary cause of HTG.
• Understanding brain alterations in HTG is crucial for treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of high IOP on brain function in HTG patients.
• Utilize resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) for evaluation.
• Identify specific brain regions affected by HTG.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 36 HTG patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs).
• Conducted IOP examinations and rs-fMRI scans.
• Analyzed functional connectivity (FC) between the primary visual cortex (BA 17) and other brain regions using voxel-wise methods and t-tests.

Main Results:

• HTG patients exhibited decreased FC between BA 17 and the right precuneus gyrus compared to HCs.
• A reduction in FC was also observed between BA 17 and the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) in HTG patients.
• FC between BA 17 and the right SFG negatively correlated with IOP.

Conclusions:

• HTG is associated with abnormal functional connectivity between the visual cortex and brain regions involved in visual processing, memory, and cognition.
• These findings offer imaging evidence supporting HTG pathophysiology research.
• Identified potential new targets for precise HTG treatment.