title: fMRI evidence of improved visual function in patients with progressive retinitis pigmentosa by eye-movement training.
abstract: To evaluate changes in the visual processing of patients with progressive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) who acquired improved reading capability by eye-movement training (EMT), we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after EMT. Six patients with bilateral concentric contraction caused by pigmentary degeneration of the retina and 6 normal volunteers were recruited. Patients were given EMT for 5 min every day for 8-10 months. fMRI data were acquired on a 3.0-Tesla scanner while subjects were performing reading tasks. In separate experiments (before fMRI scanning), visual performances for readings were measured by the number of letters read correctly in 5 min. Before EMT, activation areas of the primary visual cortex of patients were 48.8% of those of the controls. The number of letters read correctly in 5 min was 36.6% of those by the normal volunteers. After EMT, the activation areas of patients were not changed or slightly decreased; however, reading performance increased in 5 of 6 patients, which was 46.6% of that of the normal volunteers (p< 0.05). After EMT, increased activity was observed in the frontal eye fields (FEFs) of all patients; however, increases in the activity of the parietal eye fields (PEFs) were observed only in patients who showed greater improvement in reading capability. The improvement in reading ability of the patients after EMT is regarded as an effect of the increased activity of FEF and PEF, which play important roles in attention and working memory as well as the regulation of eye movements.
authors: Yoshida Eye Clinic, 9 Higashi-honncho, Shimogamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0863, Japan.
authors: Masako
authors: M
authors: Yoshida
authors: Division of Medical Devices for Diagnoses, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Maki
authors: M
authors: Origuchi
authors: Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Shin-Ichi
authors: S
authors: Urayama
authors: Division of Medical Devices for Diagnoses, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Takatsuki
authors: National Institute of Communication and Information Technology, Iwaoka 588, Nishi-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 651-2492, Japan.
authors: Shigeyuki
authors: S
authors: Kan
authors: Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Aso
authors: The Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors: Takayuki
authors: T
authors: Shiose
authors: Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Nobukatsu
authors: N
authors: Sawamoto
authors: National Institute of Communication and Information Technology, Iwaoka 588, Nishi-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 651-2492, Japan.
authors: Satoru
authors: S
authors: Miyauchi
authors: Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Hidenao
authors: H
authors: Fukuyama
authors: Division of Medical Devices for Diagnoses, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Kawahara-cho, Syogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors: Akitoshi
authors: A
authors: Seiyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eye-movement training; Frontal eye fields; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Parietal eye fields; Reading capability; Retinitis pigmentosa