Subregional structural and connectivity damage in the visual cortex in neuromyelitis optica.
Patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) have shown structural and functional impairments in the visual cortex. We aimed to characterize subregional grey matter volume (GMV) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes in the visual cortex in NMO. Thirty-seven NMO patients and forty-two controls underwent structural and functional MRI scans. The GMV and rsFC of each visual subregion were compared between the groups. Compared with controls, NMO patients had GMV reductions in the bilateral V1, V2, V3d, VP, and LO and in the left V3A. In canonical visual pathways, the relatively low-level subregions showed more significant GMV reductions than did the high-level ones. Regardless of GMV correction, NMO patients showed reduced rsFC in the bilateral LO and V4v and in the left V2. The GMVs of the bilateral V1 and LO and of the left V2 and V3d were negatively correlated with clinical disability in NMO patients; these correlation coefficients were associated with hierarchical positions in the visual pathways. These findings suggest that in NMO, the low-level visual subregions have more severe structural damage; structural damage is not the only factor affecting rsFC alterations of visual subregions; GMV reduction in the low-level visual subregions has the highest predictive value for clinical disability.
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Huanhuan
H
Cai
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Jiajia
J
Zhu
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Ningnannan
N
Zhang
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Qiuhui
Q
Wang
Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Chao
C
Zhang
Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Chunsheng
C
Yang
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Jie
J
Sun
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Xianting
X
Sun
Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Li
L
Yang
Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
Chunshui
C
Yu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D063132:Connectome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*