静息状态功能连接(rsFC)已用于评估视力丧失对脑可塑性的影响。随着视力恢复疗法的出现,rsFC分析提供了一种评估视力恢复后功能变化的方法。我们的研究表明,与重度视网膜色素变性(RP)患者相比,ArgusII视网膜假体患者的失明诱导的rsFC变化部分逆转。对于10个健康控制(HC),10RP,和7个阿格斯二世科目,我们的研究包括每个受试者4次静息态功能磁共振成像(fMRI).以初级视觉皮层(V1)为种子创建rsFC图。RP>HC的rsFC组对比图,阿格斯II>RP,ArgusII>HC显示中央后回(PostCG)区域显着减少,显著增强,对于这三个对比,rsFC到V1没有显著变化,分别。这些发现也通过测试组之间各自的V1-PostCGROI-ROI分析得到证实。最后,在HC中,PostCG区域的显着rsFC到V1的程度为5,961,0在RP中,ArgusII组842mm3。我们的结果显示失明后视觉-体感rsFC减少,与以前的发现一致。在使用ArgusII进行视力恢复后,这种连通性得到了增强,表示在休息期间表现出的跨模态功能可塑性的变化的逆转,尽管ArgusII患者获得了基本的视力。未来对更多的测试对象进行这种罕见情况的研究可以进一步揭示我们大脑在视觉恢复方面进行重组的深刻能力。
Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been used to assess the effect of vision loss on brain plasticity. With the emergence of vision restoration therapies, rsFC analysis provides a means to assess the functional changes following sight restoration. Our study demonstrates a partial reversal of blindness-induced rsFC changes in Argus II retinal prosthesis patients compared to those with severe retinitis pigmentosa (RP). For 10 healthy control (HC), 10 RP, and 7 Argus II subjects, four runs of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) per subject were included in our study. rsFC maps were created with the primary visual cortex (V1) as the seed. The rsFC group contrast maps for RP > HC, Argus II > RP, and Argus II > HC revealed regions in the post-central gyrus (PostCG) with significant reduction, significant enhancement, and no significant changes in rsFC to V1 for the three contrasts, respectively. These findings were also confirmed by the respective V1-PostCG ROI-ROI analyses between test groups. Finally, the extent of significant rsFC to V1 in the PostCG region was 5,961 in HC, 0 in RP, and 842 mm3 in Argus II groups. Our results showed a reduction of visual-somatosensory rsFC following blindness, consistent with previous findings. This connectivity was enhanced following sight recovery with Argus II, representing a reversal of changes in cross-modal functional plasticity as manifested during rest, despite the rudimentary vision obtained by Argus II patients. Future investigation with a larger number of test subjects into this rare condition can further unveil the profound ability of our brain to reorganize in response to vision restoration.