The 2nd phase of research for the visual cortical functional mediating stereopsis in children anisometropic amblyopia: evidence from fMRI

Abstract:

AIM:To evaluate the recovery about the visual cortex function of stereopsis in anisometropic amblyopia after regular amblyopia treatment 6, 12 and 18mo with blood oxygenation level dependent-function magnetic resonance imaging techniques(BOLD-fMRI).

METHODS: In this study, self-controlled study before and after treatment was used, and blocks-designed fMRI was performed on 11 children which was the first phase of research for amblyopic treatment. Functional MRI data were processed by using SPM8 which based on the Matlab 7.12.0.635. Through the hypothesis drive method, the differences range of activated area in each group were compared by before and after amblyopia treatment matched t-test.

RESULTS: The functional area that was left occipital lobe(BA18), middle occipital gyrus(BA19), limbic lobe(BA19), lingualis gyrus of the right occipital lobe(BA17)and the bilateral parietal lobe(BA7)expanded after amblyopia treatment 6, 12mo, compared those treatment phase, mean t value was 1.5762, 1.6856 respectively(P<0.001). However, the difference of activated intensity was lower after 18mo, mean t value was 1.1473(0.001<P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: In children anisometropic amblyopia, the speed of function reconstruction about visual cortical functional mediating stereopsis increase slowly after amblyopia treatment 1a.

Key words:children; anisometropia; amblyopia; stereopsis; function magnetic resonance imaging