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Pre- and Postnatal Damage to the Retro-Geniculate Visual Pathways Cause Retinal Degeneration Predictive for Visual Function

Lennartsson, Finn LU ; Öhnell, Hanna Maria LU ; Jacobson, Lena and Nilsson, Maria (2021) In Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 15.
Abstract

To increase the understanding of the relationship between structure and function in individuals with damage to the brain from different stages of maturation of the visual system, we examined 16 teenagers and young adults. We used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fiber tractography of the optic radiation (OR) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GC+IPL) in the macula. Visual field (VF) function was assessed with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Injuries to the immature OR were associated with thinning of the pRNFL and GC+IPL, and corresponding VF defects irrespectively of timing of the lesion. However, in... (More)

To increase the understanding of the relationship between structure and function in individuals with damage to the brain from different stages of maturation of the visual system, we examined 16 teenagers and young adults. We used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fiber tractography of the optic radiation (OR) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GC+IPL) in the macula. Visual field (VF) function was assessed with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Injuries to the immature OR were associated with thinning of the pRNFL and GC+IPL, and corresponding VF defects irrespectively of timing of the lesion. However, in cases with bilateral white-matter damage of immaturity (WMDI) we noticed a well preserved central VF despite a very thin GC+IPL. We speculate that this is due to plasticity in the immature visual system. Similar results were not noticed among cases with unilateral damage, acquired pre- or postnatally, in which the central VF was affected in most cases. OCT has proved to be a valuable targeted tool in children with damage to the retro-geniculate visual pathways, and that focal thinning of the GC+IPL predicts VF defects. This brief research report includes a review of four previously published papers. In addition, we present one new case and apply a recently developed classification system for CVI. The classification was applied on cases with bilateral WMDI to investigate its relation to retinal structure.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
brain development, cerebral visual impairment (CVI), optic radiation, optical coherence tomography, plasticity, retinal degeneration, visual field defect, visual system
in
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
volume
15
article number
734193
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • pmid:34764861
  • scopus:85118779714
ISSN
1662-5161
DOI
10.3389/fnhum.2021.734193
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Lennartsson, Öhnell, Jacobson and Nilsson.
id
a2303beb-0779-4302-a78a-1f843f88ed9f
date added to LUP
2021-12-03 14:46:50
date last changed
2024-06-15 22:09:54
@article{a2303beb-0779-4302-a78a-1f843f88ed9f,
  abstract     = {{<p>To increase the understanding of the relationship between structure and function in individuals with damage to the brain from different stages of maturation of the visual system, we examined 16 teenagers and young adults. We used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fiber tractography of the optic radiation (OR) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GC+IPL) in the macula. Visual field (VF) function was assessed with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). Injuries to the immature OR were associated with thinning of the pRNFL and GC+IPL, and corresponding VF defects irrespectively of timing of the lesion. However, in cases with bilateral white-matter damage of immaturity (WMDI) we noticed a well preserved central VF despite a very thin GC+IPL. We speculate that this is due to plasticity in the immature visual system. Similar results were not noticed among cases with unilateral damage, acquired pre- or postnatally, in which the central VF was affected in most cases. OCT has proved to be a valuable targeted tool in children with damage to the retro-geniculate visual pathways, and that focal thinning of the GC+IPL predicts VF defects. This brief research report includes a review of four previously published papers. In addition, we present one new case and apply a recently developed classification system for CVI. The classification was applied on cases with bilateral WMDI to investigate its relation to retinal structure.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lennartsson, Finn and Öhnell, Hanna Maria and Jacobson, Lena and Nilsson, Maria}},
  issn         = {{1662-5161}},
  keywords     = {{brain development; cerebral visual impairment (CVI); optic radiation; optical coherence tomography; plasticity; retinal degeneration; visual field defect; visual system}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}},
  title        = {{Pre- and Postnatal Damage to the Retro-Geniculate Visual Pathways Cause Retinal Degeneration Predictive for Visual Function}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.734193}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fnhum.2021.734193}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}