title: Morphometric analyses of the visual pathways in macular degeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Macular degeneration (MD) causes central visual field loss. When field defects occur in both eyes and overlap, parts of the visual pathways are no longer stimulated. Previous reports have shown that this affects the grey matter of the primary visual cortex, but possible effects on the preceding visual pathway structures have not been fully established.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this multicentre study, we used high-resolution anatomical magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry to investigate the visual pathway structures up to the primary visual cortex of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and juvenile macular degeneration (JMD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to age-matched healthy controls, in patients with JMD we found volumetric reductions in the optic nerves, the chiasm, the lateral geniculate bodies, the optic radiations and the visual cortex. In patients with AMD we found volumetric reductions in the lateral geniculate bodies, the optic radiations and the visual cortex. An unexpected finding was that AMD, but not JMD, was associated with a reduction in frontal white matter volume.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MD is associated with degeneration of structures along the visual pathways. A reduction in frontal white matter volume only present in the AMD patients may constitute a neural correlate of previously reported association between AMD and mild cognitive impairment.
authors: Laboratory for Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Ophthalmology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors: Aditya T
authors: AT
authors: Hernowo
authors: Laboratory for Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Doety
authors: D
authors: Prins
authors: Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuroscience, Hull-York Medical School, York, United Kingdom.
authors: Heidi A
authors: HA
authors: Baseler
authors: Institute for Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors: Tina
authors: T
authors: Plank
authors: Centre for Neuroscience, Hull-York Medical School, York, United Kingdom.
authors: Andre D
authors: AD
authors: Gouws
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Johanna M M
authors: JM
authors: Hooymans
authors: Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuroscience, Hull-York Medical School, York, United Kingdom.
authors: Antony B
authors: AB
authors: Morland
authors: Institute for Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors: Mark W
authors: MW
authors: Greenlee
authors: Laboratory for Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: f.w.cornelissen@umcg.nl.
authors: Frans W
authors: FW
authors: Cornelissen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Macular degeneration; Visual field; Visual pathway; Voxel-based morphometry