Brain morphometry in blind and sighted subjects

Jerome J. Maller; Richard H. Thomson; Amanda Ng; Collette Mann; Michael Eager; Helen Ackland; Paul B. Fitzgerald; Gary Egan; Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2016.01.040

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Brain morphometry in blind and sighted subjects

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Brain morphometry in blind and sighted subjects

Jerome J. Maller, Richard H. Thomson, Amanda Ng, Collette Mann, Michael Eager, Helen Ackland, Paul B. Fitzgerald, Gary Egan and Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld

Journal of clinical neuroscience, Vol.33, pp.89-95

11/01/2016

DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.01.040

PMID: 27424130

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Abstract

Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated structural brain alterations in blind subjects, but most have focused on primary open angle glaucoma or retinopathy of prematurity, used low-field scanners, a limited number of receive channels, or have presented uncorrected results. We recruited 10 blind and 10 age and sex-matched controls to undergo high-resolution MRI using a 3T scanner and a 32-channel receive coil. We evaluated whole-brain morphological differences between the groups as well as manual segmentation of regional hippocampal volumes. There were no hippocampal volume differences between the groups. Whole-brain morphometry showed white matter volume differences between blind and sighted groups including localised larger regions in the visual cortex (occipital gyral volume and thickness) among those with blindness early in life compared to those with blindness later in life. Hence, in our patients, blindness resulted in brain volumetric differences that depend upon duration of blindness. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical Neurology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Neurosciences

Neurosciences & Neurology

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Brain morphometry in blind and sighted subjects
Creators: Jerome J. Maller - Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research centre
Richard H. Thomson - The Alfred Hospital
Amanda Ng - The University of Melbourne
Collette Mann - Monash University
Michael Eager - Monash University
Helen Ackland - National Trauma Research Institute
Paul B. Fitzgerald - Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research centre
Gary Egan - Monash University
Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld - Monash University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of clinical neuroscience, Vol.33, pp.89-95
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.01.040
PMID: 27424130
NLM abbreviation: J Clin Neurosci
ISSN: 0967-5868
eISSN: 1532-2653
Publisher: Elsevier
Number of pages: 7
Grant note: SR1000006 / Monash Vision Group, an Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative in Bionic Vision Science and Technology
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2016
Academic Unit: Radiology
Record Identifier: 9984848504802771

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