title: Morphometric changes of the corpus callosum in congenital blindness.
abstract: We examined the effects of visual deprivation at birth on the development of the corpus callosum in a large group of congenitally blind individuals. We acquired high-resolution T1-weighted MRI scans in 28 congenitally blind and 28 normal sighted subjects matched for age and gender. There was no overall group effect of visual deprivation on the total surface area of the corpus callosum. However, subdividing the corpus callosum into five subdivisions revealed significant regional changes in its three most posterior parts. Compared to the sighted controls, congenitally blind individuals showed a 12% reduction in the splenium, and a 20% increase in the isthmus and the posterior part of the body. A shape analysis further revealed that the bending angle of the corpus callosum was more convex in congenitally blind compared to the sighted control subjects. The observed morphometric changes in the corpus callosum are in line with the well-described cross-modal functional and structural neuroplastic changes in congenital blindness.
authors.affiliation: Auxilium Vitae Volterra, Volterra, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomaiuolo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.affiliation: McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: D Louis
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Vladimir S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Fonov
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Surgery, Medical, Molecular, and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; MRI Lab, Fondazione Toscana 'G. Monasterio', Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Surgery, Medical, Molecular, and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Clinical Psychology Branch, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietrini
authors.affiliation: Harland Sanders Chair in Visual Science, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; BRAINlab, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kupers
authors.affiliation: Harland Sanders Chair in Visual Science, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; BRAINlab, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ptito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D055815:Young Adult