title: Visual activation patterns in patients with optic neuritis: an fMRI pilot study.
abstract: We studied the use of functional MRI (fMRI) with visual stimulation in nine patients with unilateral optic neuritis. Eight healthy subjects served as controls. Patients showed reduced activation upon stimulation of the affected eye, on average 33% (range 0 to 156%) of the average monocular activation in the control group. Decreased activation was also seen for the unaffected eye (61% of control values, range 3 to 133%). We conclude that fMRI with visual stimulation is feasible in patients with optic neuritis and deserves future study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physics and Engineering, University Hospital Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rombouts
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lazeron
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheltens
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Uitdehaag
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sprenger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valk
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barkhof
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015349:Vision, Monocular / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*