Relationship of visual cortex function and visual acuity in anisometropic amblyopic children.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the functional deficit of the visual cortex in anisometropic amblyopia children using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique, and investigate the relationship between visual acuity and visual cortex function.


METHODS
Blood oxygenation level-dependent fMRI (BOLD-fMRI) was performed in ten monocular anisometropic amblyopia children and ten normal controls. fMRI images were acquired in two runs with visual stimulation delivered separately through the sound and amblyopic eyes. Measurements were performed in cortical activation of striate and extrastriate areas at the occipital lobe. The relationship between cortex function and visual acuity was analyzed by Pearson partial analysis.


RESULTS
The activation areas of both the striate and extrastriate cortices in the amblyopic eyes were significantly lower than that of the sound fellow eyes. No relationship was found between the striate and extrastriate cortex activation. No relationship was found between the visual cortical activation of striate, extrastriate areas and visual acuity of anisometropic amblyopes.


CONCLUSIONS
BOLD-fMRI revealed the independent striate and extrastriate cortical deficits in anisometropic amblyopes. In addition, the visual acuity lesion and the striate and extrastriate cortical deficits were not parallel, and results of fMRI examination have much potential value in the evaluation of amblyopia.
Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Chuanming
C
Li
Lin
L
Cheng
Qiongwu
Q
Yu
Bing
B
Xie
Jian
J
Wang
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015858:Anisometropia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011859:Radiography; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*