title: Cortical thickness in human V1 associated with central vision loss.
abstract: Better understanding of the extent and scope of visual cortex plasticity following central vision loss is essential both for clarifying the mechanisms of brain plasticity and for future development of interventions to retain or restore visual function. This study investigated structural differences in primary visual cortex between normally-sighted controls and participants with central vision loss due to macular degeneration (MD). Ten participants with MD and ten age-, gender-, and education-matched controls with normal vision were included. The thickness of primary visual cortex was assessed using T1-weighted anatomical scans, and central and peripheral cortical regions were carefully compared between well-characterized participants with MD and controls. Results suggest that, compared to controls, participants with MD had significantly thinner cortex in typically centrally-responsive primary visual cortex - the region of cortex that normally receives visual input from the damaged area of the retina. Conversely, peripherally-responsive primary visual cortex demonstrated significantly increased cortical thickness relative to controls. These results suggest that central vision loss may give rise to cortical thinning, while in the same group of people, compensatory recruitment of spared peripheral vision may give rise to cortical thickening. This work furthers our understanding of neural plasticity in the context of adult vision loss.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Psychology, Campbell Hall 415, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Wesley K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Burge
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Psychology, Campbell Hall 415, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Griffis
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Department of Neurology, SC 350, 1720 2nd Ave South Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Rodolphe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nenert
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Department of Neurobiology, SHEL 911, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Abdurahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elkhetali
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, 700 S. 18th Street, Suite 601, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: DeCarlo
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Department of Neurology, SC 350, 1720 2nd Ave South Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Lawrence W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: ver Hoef
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, 119 Health and Human Development Bldg, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Lesley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine Department of Neurobiology, SHEL 911, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Visscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014794:Visual Fields; D014796:Visual Perception