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Paré S, Bleau M, Dricot L, Ptito M, Kupers R. Brain structural changes in blindness: a systematic review and an anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105165. [PMID: 37054803 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, numerous structural brain imaging studies investigated purported morphometric changes in early (EB) and late onset blindness (LB). The results of these studies have not yielded very consistent results, neither with respect to the type, nor to the anatomical locations of the brain morphometric alterations. To better characterize the effects of blindness on brain morphometry, we performed a systematic review and an Anatomical-Likelihood-Estimation (ALE) coordinate-based-meta-analysis of 65 eligible studies on brain structural changes in EB and LB, including 890 EB, 466 LB and 1257 sighted controls. Results revealed atrophic changes throughout the whole extent of the retino-geniculo-striate system in both EB and LB, whereas changes in areas beyond the occipital lobe occurred in EB only. We discuss the nature of some of the contradictory findings with respect to the used brain imaging methodologies and characteristics of the blind populations such as the onset, duration and cause of blindness. Future studies should aim for much larger sample sizes, eventually by merging data from different brain imaging centers using the same imaging sequences, opt for multimodal structural brain imaging, and go beyond a purely structural approach by combining functional with structural connectivity network analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Paré
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Qc, Canada
| | - Maxime Bleau
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Qc, Canada
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Maurice Ptito
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Qc, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Qc, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ron Kupers
- School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Qc, Canada; Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Bruxelles, Belgium; Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Marins TF, Russo M, Rodrigues EC, Monteiro M, Moll J, Felix D, Bouzas J, Arcanjo H, Vargas CD, Tovar‐Moll F. Reorganization of thalamocortical connections in congenitally blind humans. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2039-2049. [PMID: 36661404 PMCID: PMC9980890 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cross-modal plasticity in blind individuals has been reported over the past decades showing that nonvisual information is carried and processed by "visual" brain structures. However, despite multiple efforts, the structural underpinnings of cross-modal plasticity in congenitally blind individuals remain unclear. We mapped thalamocortical connectivity and assessed the integrity of white matter of 10 congenitally blind individuals and 10 sighted controls. We hypothesized an aberrant thalamocortical pattern of connectivity taking place in the absence of visual stimuli from birth as a potential mechanism of cross-modal plasticity. In addition to the impaired microstructure of visual white matter bundles, we observed structural connectivity changes between the thalamus and occipital and temporal cortices. Specifically, the thalamic territory dedicated to connections with the occipital cortex was smaller and displayed weaker connectivity in congenitally blind individuals, whereas those connecting with the temporal cortex showed greater volume and increased connectivity. The abnormal pattern of thalamocortical connectivity included the lateral and medial geniculate nuclei and the pulvinar nucleus. For the first time in humans, a remapping of structural thalamocortical connections involving both unimodal and multimodal thalamic nuclei has been demonstrated, shedding light on the possible mechanisms of cross-modal plasticity in humans. The present findings may help understand the functional adaptations commonly observed in congenitally blind individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theo F. Marins
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil,Post‐Graduation Program in Morphological Sciences (PCM) of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB)Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Maite Russo
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF)Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | | | - Marina Monteiro
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Jorge Moll
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Daniel Felix
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Julia Bouzas
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Helena Arcanjo
- Centro de Oftalmologia EspecializadaRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Claudia D. Vargas
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF)Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Fernanda Tovar‐Moll
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR)Rio de JaneiroBrazil,Post‐Graduation Program in Morphological Sciences (PCM) of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB)Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
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Whyland KL, Hernandez Y, Slusarczyk AS, Guido W, Bickford ME. The parabigeminal nucleus is a source of "retinogeniculate replacement terminals" in mice that lack retinofugal input. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:3179-3192. [PMID: 36066425 PMCID: PMC9588688 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of mice that lack retinal input, a population of large terminals supplants the synaptic arrangements normally made by the missing retinogeniculate terminals. To identify potential sources of these "retinogeniculate replacement terminals," we used mutant mice (math5-/- ) which lack retinofugal projections due to the failure of retinal ganglion cells to develop. In this line, we labeled LGN terminals that originate from the primary visual cortex (V1) or the parabigeminal nucleus (PBG), and compared their ultrastructure to retinogeniculate, V1 or PBG terminals in the dLGN of C57Blk6 (WT) mice (schematically depicted above graph). Corticogeniculate terminals labeled in WT and math5-/- mice were similar in size and both groups were significantly smaller than WT retinogeniculate terminals. In contrast, the PBG projection in math5-/- mice was extensive and there was considerable overlap in the sizes of retinogeniculate terminals in WT mice and PBG terminals in math5-/- mice (summarized in histogram). The data indicate that V1 is not a source of "retinogeniculate replacement terminals" and suggests that large PBG terminals expand their innervation territory to replace retinogeniculate terminals in their absence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle L. Whyland
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
| | - Yanio Hernandez
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
| | - Arkadiusz S. Slusarczyk
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
| | - Martha E. Bickford
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292
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Li K, Wang Q, Wang L, Huang Y. Cognitive dysfunctions in high myopia: An overview of potential neural morpho-functional mechanisms. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1022944. [PMID: 36408499 PMCID: PMC9669364 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1022944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia and cognitive impairment (CIM) carry high levels of mortality. Visual impairment (VI) is linked with CIM risk. High myopia (HM) is a chronic disease frequently leading to irreversible blindness. Current opinion has shifted from retinal injury as the cause of HM to the condition being considered an eye-brain disease. However, the pathogenesis of this disease and the manner in which neural structures are damaged are poorly understood. This review comprehensively discusses the relationship between HM, the central nervous system, and CIM, together with the novel concept of three visual pathways, and possible research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixiu Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liqiang Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Bleau M, Paré S, Chebat DR, Kupers R, Nemargut JP, Ptito M. Neural substrates of spatial processing and navigation in blindness: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1010354. [PMID: 36340755 PMCID: PMC9630591 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1010354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though vision is considered the best suited sensory modality to acquire spatial information, blind individuals can form spatial representations to navigate and orient themselves efficiently in space. Consequently, many studies support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations since sensory modalities other than vision contribute to the formation of spatial representations, independently of visual experience and imagery. However, given the high variability in abilities and deficits observed in blind populations, a clear consensus about the neural representations of space has yet to be established. To this end, we performed a meta-analysis of the literature on the neural correlates of spatial processing and navigation via sensory modalities other than vision, like touch and audition, in individuals with early and late onset blindness. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis of the neuroimaging literature revealed that early blind individuals and sighted controls activate the same neural networks in the processing of non-visual spatial information and navigation, including the posterior parietal cortex, frontal eye fields, insula, and the hippocampal complex. Furthermore, blind individuals also recruit primary and associative occipital areas involved in visuo-spatial processing via cross-modal plasticity mechanisms. The scarcity of studies involving late blind individuals did not allow us to establish a clear consensus about the neural substrates of spatial representations in this specific population. In conclusion, the results of our analysis on neuroimaging studies involving early blind individuals support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Bleau
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel Paré
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel-Robert Chebat
- Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (VCN Lab), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Navigation and Accessibility Research Center of Ariel University (NARCA), Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Ron Kupers
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Maurice Ptito
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Maurice Ptito,
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Grégoire A, Deggouj N, Dricot L, Decat M, Kupers R. Brain Morphological Modifications in Congenital and Acquired Auditory Deprivation: A Systematic Review and Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:850245. [PMID: 35418829 PMCID: PMC8995770 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.850245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroplasticity following deafness has been widely demonstrated in both humans and animals, but the anatomical substrate of these changes is not yet clear in human brain. However, it is of high importance since hearing loss is a growing problem due to aging population. Moreover, knowing these brain changes could help to understand some disappointing results with cochlear implant, and therefore could improve hearing rehabilitation. A systematic review and a coordinate-based meta-analysis were realized about the morphological brain changes highlighted by MRI in severe to profound hearing loss, congenital and acquired before or after language onset. 25 papers were included in our review, concerning more than 400 deaf subjects, most of them presenting prelingual deafness. The most consistent finding is a volumetric decrease in gray matter around bilateral auditory cortex. This change was confirmed by the coordinate-based meta-analysis which shows three converging clusters in this region. The visual areas of deaf children is also significantly impacted, with a decrease of the volume of both gray and white matters. Finally, deafness is responsible of a gray matter increase within the cerebellum, especially at the right side. These results are largely discussed and compared with those from deaf animal models and blind humans, which demonstrate for example a much more consistent gray matter decrease along their respective primary sensory pathway. In human deafness, a lot of other factors than deafness could interact on the brain plasticity. One of the most important is the use of sign language and its age of acquisition, which induce among others changes within the hand motor region and the visual cortex. But other confounding factors exist which have been too little considered in the current literature, such as the etiology of the hearing impairment, the speech-reading ability, the hearing aid use, the frequent associated vestibular dysfunction or neurocognitive impairment. Another important weakness highlighted by this review concern the lack of papers about postlingual deafness, whereas it represents most of the deaf population. Further studies are needed to better understand these issues, and finally try to improve deafness rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Grégoire
- Department of ENT, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Naïma Deggouj
- Department of ENT, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Monique Decat
- Department of ENT, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ron Kupers
- Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Ecole d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Hu JJ, Jiang N, Chen J, Ying P, Kang M, Xu SH, Zou J, Wei H, Ling Q, Shao Y. Altered Regional Homogeneity in Patients With Congenital Blindness: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:925412. [PMID: 35815017 PMCID: PMC9256957 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.925412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In patients with congenital blindness (CB), the lack of any visual experience may affect brain development resulting in functional, structural, or even psychological changes. Few studies to date have addressed or focused on the synchronicity of regional brain activity in patients with CB. Our study aimed to investigate regional brain activity in patients with CB in a resting state and try to explain the possible causes and effects of any anomalies. Twenty-three CB patients and 23 healthy control (HC) volunteers agreed to undergo resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. After the fMRI data were preprocessed, regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis was conducted to assess the differences in brain activity synchronicity between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to explore whether the brain areas with statistically significant ReHo differences have diagnostic and identification values for CB. All CB patients were also required to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to evaluate their anxiety and depression levels. The results showed that in CB patients mean ReHo values were significantly lower than in HCs in the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus (MFGorb), bilateral middle occipital gyrus (MOG), and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdl), but significantly higher in the left paracentral lobule (PCL), right insula and bilateral thalamus. The ReHo value of MFGorb showed a negative linear correlation with both the anxiety score and the depression score of the HADS. ROC curve analysis revealed that the mean ReHo values which differed significantly between the groups have excellent diagnostic accuracy for CB (especially in the left PCL and right SFGdl regions). Patients with CB show abnormalities of ReHo values in several specific brain regions, suggesting potential regional structural changes, functional reorganization, or even psychological effects in these patients. FMRI ReHo analysis may find use as an objective method to confirm CB for medical or legal purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiong-Jiong Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory, School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Ping Ying
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Ming Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - San-Hua Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jie Zou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qian Ling
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yi Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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