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Morphological dissociation between visual pathways and cortex: MRI of visually-deprived patients with congenital
M Breitenseher1, F Uhl, D Prayer Wimberger
1MR-Institute of the Medical Faculty and Clinic for Diagnostic Radiology, University of Vienna, AKH, Austria.
Neuroradiology
|September 8, 1998
Abstract:
MRI was used to study possible morphological changes in the visual system in 12 patients suffering from congenital blindness of peripheral (ocular) origin. While their optical pathways showed degeneration, hypoplasia or atrophy in 7 out of 12 cases, the occipital cortex appeared normal in all cases. This dissociation between afferent pathways and the cortex is contrary to the assumption that visually deprived cortex may undergo degeneration. The finding is congruent with evidence that the occipital cortex is used for other, nonvisual functions.