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Birch EE, Duffy KR. Leveraging neural plasticity for the treatment of amblyopia. Surv Ophthalmol 2024:S0039-6257(24)00046-8. [PMID: 38763223 DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2024.04.006] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Amblyopia is a form of visual cortical impairment that arises from abnormal visual experience early in life. Most often, amblyopia is a unilateral visual impairment that can develop as a result of strabismus, anisometropia, or a combination of these conditions that result in discordant binocular experience. Characterized by reduced visual acuity and impaired binocular function, amblyopia places a substantial burden on the developing child. Although frontline treatment with glasses and patching can improve visual acuity, residual amblyopia remains for most children. Newer binocular-based therapies can elicit rapid recovery of visual acuity and may also improve stereoacuity in some children. Nevertheless, for both treatment modalities full recovery is elusive, recurrence of amblyopia is common, and improvements are negligible when treatment is administered at older ages. Insights derived from animal models about the factors that govern neural plasticity have been leveraged to develop innovative treatments for amblyopia. These novel therapies exhibit efficacy to promote recovery, and some are effective even at ages when conventional treatments fail to yield benefit. Approaches for enhancing visual system plasticity and promoting recovery from amblyopia include altering the balance between excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms, reversing the accumulation of proteins that inhibit plasticity, and harnessing the principles of metaplasticity. Although these therapies have exhibited promising results in animal models, their safety and ability to remediate amblyopia need to be evaluated in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen E Birch
- Crystal Charity Ball Pediatric Vision Laboratory, Retina Foundation, Dallas, TX, USA; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Kevin R Duffy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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2
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Jia Y, Ye Q, Liu J, Feng L, Xu Z, He Y, Zhou Y, Chen X, Yao Y, Thompson B, Li J. Associations between the cause of amblyopia and pre-treatment contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, fixation, and nystagmus. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28857. [PMID: 38596124 PMCID: PMC11002286 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To explore the association between the cause of amblyopia and pre-treatment contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, fixation and nystagmus. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods A retrospective review was conducted for 3408 patients with amblyopia who had not yet started amblyopia treatment utilizing a large amblyopia patient database maintained at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre. Six amblyogenic factor subtypes were identified: anisometropia, isoametropia, strabismus, anisometropia and strabismus, monocular visual deprivation, and binocular visual deprivation amblyopia. Monocular best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the contrast sensitivity function (CSF), fixation, and stereopsis were compared between the subtypes before and after propensity score matching (PSM) for age and sex. Results The two deprivation groups had poorer BCVA and CSF than the other groups. There were no systematic differences in CSF between the non-deprivation groups. Nystagmus was more common in the bilateral amblyopia groups compared to the monocular amblyopia groups. Eccentric fixation was uncommon with the exception of the anisometropia and strabismus group which had an eccentric fixation rate of 20%. Distance stereoacuity measured without monocular cues was absent for almost all patients. The results were consistent when analyzed using PSM. Conclusion Visual deprivation causes more severe amblyopia than other amblyogenic factors. For non-deprivation amblyopia subtypes, individual differences such as variation in the severity of the amblyogenic factor might be more important in determining pre-treatment vision than whether amblyopia was caused by refractive error, strabismus or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research, 17W Science Park, Hong Kong
| | - Qingqing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zixuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunsi He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yusong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research, 17W Science Park, Hong Kong
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jinrong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Heitmann C, Zhan M, Linke M, Hölig C, Kekunnaya R, van Hoof R, Goebel R, Röder B. Early visual experience refines the retinotopic organization within and across visual cortical regions. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4950-4959.e4. [PMID: 37918397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Early visual areas are retinotopically organized in human and non-human primates. Population receptive field (pRF) size increases with eccentricity and from lower- to higher-level visual areas. Furthermore, the cortical magnification factor (CMF), a measure of how much cortical space is devoted to each degree of visual angle, is typically larger for foveal as opposed to peripheral regions of the visual field. Whether this fine-scale organization within and across visual areas depends on early visual experience has yet been unknown. Here, we employed 7T functional magnetic resonance imaging pRF mapping to assess the retinotopic organization of early visual regions (i.e., V1, V2, and V3) in eight sight recovery individuals with a history of congenital blindness until a maximum of 4 years of age. Compared with sighted controls, foveal pRF sizes in these individuals were larger, and pRF sizes did not show the typical increase with eccentricity and down the visual cortical processing stream (V1-V2-V3). Cortical magnification was overall diminished and decreased less from foveal to parafoveal visual field locations. Furthermore, cortical magnification correlated with visual acuity in sight recovery individuals. The results of this study suggest that early visual experience is essential for refining a presumably innate prototypical retinotopic organization in humans within and across visual areas, which seems to be crucial for acquiring full visual capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Heitmann
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology Lab, Faculty of Psychology and Movement Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Minye Zhan
- U992 (Cognitive neuroimaging unit), NeuroSpin, INSERM-CEA, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Madita Linke
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology Lab, Faculty of Psychology and Movement Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cordula Hölig
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology Lab, Faculty of Psychology and Movement Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- U992 (Cognitive neuroimaging unit), NeuroSpin, INSERM-CEA, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Rick van Hoof
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Development and Research, Brain Innovation B.V., Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology Lab, Faculty of Psychology and Movement Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; Child Sight Institute, Jasti V. Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana 500034, India.
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Duffy KR, Bear MF, Patel NB, Das VE, Tychsen L. Human deprivation amblyopia: treatment insights from animal models. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1249466. [PMID: 37795183 PMCID: PMC10545969 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1249466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amblyopia is a common visual impairment that develops during the early years of postnatal life. It emerges as a sequela to eye misalignment, an imbalanced refractive state, or obstruction to form vision. All of these conditions prevent normal vision and derail the typical development of neural connections within the visual system. Among the subtypes of amblyopia, the most debilitating and recalcitrant to treatment is deprivation amblyopia. Nevertheless, human studies focused on advancing the standard of care for amblyopia have largely avoided recruitment of patients with this rare but severe impairment subtype. In this review, we delineate characteristics of deprivation amblyopia and underscore the critical need for new and more effective therapy. Animal models offer a unique opportunity to address this unmet need by enabling the development of unconventional and potent amblyopia therapies that cannot be pioneered in humans. Insights derived from studies using animal models are discussed as potential therapeutic innovations for the remediation of deprivation amblyopia. Retinal inactivation is highlighted as an emerging therapy that exhibits efficacy against the effects of monocular deprivation at ages when conventional therapy is ineffective, and recovery occurs without apparent detriment to the treated eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R. Duffy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mark F. Bear
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Nimesh B. Patel
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Vallabh E. Das
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lawrence Tychsen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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5
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Sun W, Gu S, Zhang F, Xu M, Chang P, Zhao Y. Congenital cataracts affect the retinal visual cycle and mitochondrial function: A multi-omics study of GJA8 knockout rabbits. J Proteomics 2023; 287:104972. [PMID: 37467890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2023.104972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Congenital cataracts are a threat to visual development in children, and the visual impairment persists after surgical treatment; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Previous clinical studies have identified the effect of congenital cataracts on retinal morphology and function. To further understand the molecular mechanisms by which congenital cataracts affect retinal development, we analyzed retina samples from 7-week-old GJA8-knockout rabbits with congenital cataracts and controls by four-dimensional label-free quantification proteomics and untargeted metabolomics. Bioinformatics analysis of proteomic data showed that retinol metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid degradation pathways were downregulated in the retinas of rabbits with congenital cataracts, indicating that their visual cycle and mitochondrial function were affected. Additional validation of differentially abundant proteins related to the visual cycle and mitochondrial function was performed using Parallel reaction monitoring and western blot experiments. Untargeted metabolome analysis showed significant upregulation of the antioxidant glutathione and ascorbic acid in the retinas of rabbits with congenital cataracts, indicating that their oxidative stress balance was not dysregulated. SIGNIFICANCE: Congenital cataracts in children can alter retinal structure and function, yet the mechanisms are uncertain. Here is the first study to use proteomics and metabolomics approaches to investigate the effects of congenital cataracts on retinal development in the early postnatal period. Our findings suggest that congenital cataracts have an impact on the retinal visual cycle and mitochondrial function. These findings give insight on the molecular pathways behind congenital cataract-induced visual function impairment in the early postnatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Sun
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Siyi Gu
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Mengxiang Xu
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Pingjun Chang
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China.
| | - Yune Zhao
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China.
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Min SH, Wang Z, Chen MT, Hu R, Gong L, He Z, Wang X, Hess RF, Zhou J. Metaplasticity: Dark exposure boosts local excitability and visual plasticity in adult human cortex. J Physiol 2023; 601:4105-4120. [PMID: 37573529 DOI: 10.1113/jp284040] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
An interlude of dark exposure for about 1 week is known to shift excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance of the mammalian visual cortex, promoting plasticity and accelerating visual recovery in animals that have experienced cortical lesions during development. However, the translational impact of our understanding of dark exposure from animal studies to humans remains elusive. Here, we used magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a probe for E/I balance in the primary visual cortex (V1) to determine the effect of 60 min of dark exposure, and measured binocular combination as a behavioural assay to assess visual plasticity in 14 normally sighted human adults. To induce neuroplastic changes in the observers, we introduced 60 min of monocular deprivation, which is known to temporarily shift sensory eye balance in favour of the previously deprived eye. We report that prior dark exposure for 60 min strengthens local excitability in V1 and boosts visual plasticity in normal adults. However, we show that it does not promote plasticity in amblyopic adults. Nevertheless, our findings are surprising, given the fact that the interlude is very brief. Interestingly, we find that the increased concentration of the excitatory neurotransmitter is not strongly correlated with the enhanced functional plasticity. Instead, the absolute degree of change in its concentration is related to the boost, suggesting that the dichotomy of cortical excitation and inhibition might not explain the physiological basis of plasticity in humans. We present the first evidence that an environmental manipulation that shifts cortical E/I balance can also act as a metaplastic facilitator for visual plasticity in humans. KEY POINTS: A brief interlude (60 min) of dark exposure increased the local concentration of glutamine/glutamate but not that of GABA in the visual cortex of adult humans. After dark exposure, the degree of the shift in sensory eye dominance in favour of the previously deprived eye from short-term monocular deprivation was larger than that from only monocular deprivation. The neurochemical and behavioural measures were associated: the magnitude of the shift in the concentration of glutamine/glutamate was correlated with the boost in perceptual plasticity after dark exposure. Surprisingly, the increase in the concentration of glutamine/glutamate was not correlated with the perceptual boost after dark exposure, suggesting that the physiological mechanism of how E/I balance regulates plasticity is not deterministic. In other words, an increased excitation did not unilaterally promote plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hyun Min
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zili Wang
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Meng Ting Chen
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rongjie Hu
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Ling Gong
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhifen He
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Robert F Hess
- McGill Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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7
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Jiang SQ, Chen YR, Liu XY, Zhang JY. Contour integration deficits at high spatial frequencies in children treated for anisometropic amblyopia. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1160853. [PMID: 37564367 PMCID: PMC10411894 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1160853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study was conducted to reexamine the question of whether children treated for anisometropic amblyopia have contour integration deficits. To do so, we used psychophysical methods that require global contour processing while minimizing the influence of low-level deficits: visibility, shape perception, and positional uncertainty. Methods Thirteen children with anisometropic amblyopia (age: 10.1 ± 1.8 years) and thirteen visually normal children (age: 10.8 ± 2.0 years) participated in this study. The stimuli were closed figures made up of Gabor patches either in noise or on a blank field. The contrast thresholds to detect a circular contour on a blank field, as well as the thresholds of aspect ratio and contour element number to discriminate a circular or elliptical contour in noise, were measured at Gabor spatial frequencies of 1.5, 3, and 6 cpd for amblyopic eyes (AEs), fellow eyes (FEs), and normal control eyes. Visual acuities and contrast sensitivity functions for AEs and FEs and the Randot stereoacuity were measured before testing. Results The AEs showed contrast deficits and degraded shape perception compared to the FEs at higher spatial frequencies (6 cpd). When the influence of abnormal contrast sensitivity and shape perception were minimized, the AEs showed contour integration deficits at spatial frequencies 3 and 6 cpd. These deficits were not related to basic losses in contrast sensitivity and acuity, stereoacuity, and visual crowding. Besides, no significant difference was found between the fellow eyes of the amblyopic children and the normal control eyes in the performance of contour integration. Conclusion After eliminating or compensating for the low-level deficits, children treated for anisometropic amblyopia still show contour integration deficits, primarily at higher spatial frequencies, which might reflect the deficits in global processing caused by amblyopia. Contour integration deficits are likely independent of spatial vision deficits. Refractive correction and/or occlusion therapies may not be sufficient to fully restore contour integration deficits, which indicates the need for the development of clinical treatments to recover these deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Qi Jiang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Ru Chen
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yun Liu
- The Affiliated Tengzhou Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Tengzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Jun-Yun Zhang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Witteveen IF, McCoy E, Holsworth TD, Shen CZ, Chang W, Nance MG, Belkowitz AR, Dougald A, Puglia MH, Ribic A. Preterm birth accelerates the maturation of spontaneous and resting activity in the visual cortex. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1149159. [PMID: 37255843 PMCID: PMC10225509 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1149159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Prematurity is among the leading risks for poor neurocognitive outcomes. The brains of preterm infants show alterations in structure and electrical activity, but the underlying circuit mechanisms are unclear. To address this, we performed a cross-species study of the electrophysiological activity in the visual cortices of prematurely born infants and mice. Using electroencephalography (EEG) in a sample of healthy preterm (N = 29) and term (N = 28) infants, we found that the maturation of the aperiodic EEG component was accelerated in the preterm cohort, with a significantly flatter 1/f slope when compared to the term infants. The flatter slope was a result of decreased spectral power in the theta and alpha bands and was correlated with the degree of prematurity. To determine the circuit and cellular changes that potentially mediate the changes in 1/f slope after preterm birth, we used in vivo electrophysiology in preterm mice and found that, similar to infants, preterm birth results in a flattened 1/f slope. We analyzed neuronal activity in the visual cortex of preterm (N = 6) and term (N = 9) mice and found suppressed spontaneous firing of neurons. Using immunohistochemistry, we further found an accelerated maturation of inhibitory circuits. In both preterm mice and infants, the functional maturation of the cortex was accelerated, underscoring birth as a critical checkpoint in cortical maturation. Our study points to a potential mechanism of preterm birth-related changes in resting neural activity, highlighting the utility of a cross-species approach in studying the neural circuit mechanisms of preterm birth-related neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle F. Witteveen
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Emily McCoy
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Troy D. Holsworth
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Catherine Z. Shen
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Winnie Chang
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Madelyn G. Nance
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Allison R. Belkowitz
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Avery Dougald
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Meghan H. Puglia
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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Witteveen IF, McCoy E, Holsworth TD, Shen CZ, Chang W, Nance MG, Belkowitz AR, Dougald A, Puglia MH, Ribic A. Preterm birth accelerates the maturation of spontaneous and resting activity in the visual cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.20.524993. [PMID: 36711801 PMCID: PMC9882279 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.20.524993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Prematurity is among the leading risks for poor neurocognitive outcomes. The brains of preterm infants show alterations in structure and electrical activity, but the underlying circuit mechanisms are unclear. To address this, we performed a cross-species study of the electrophysiological activity in the visual cortices of prematurely born infants and mice. Using electroencephalography (EEG) in a sample of healthy preterm (N=29) and term (N=28) infants, we found that the maturation of the aperiodic EEG component was accelerated in the preterm cohort, with a significantly flatter 1/f slope when compared to the term infants. The flatter slope was a result of decreased spectral power in the theta and alpha bands and was correlated with the degree of prematurity. To determine the circuit and cellular changes that potentially mediate the changes in 1/f slope after preterm birth, we used in vivo electrophysiology in preterm mice and found that, similar to infants, preterm birth results in a flattened 1/f slope. We analyzed neuronal activity in the visual cortex of preterm mice (N=6 preterm and 9 term mice) and found suppressed spontaneous firing of neurons. Using immunohistochemistry, we further found an accelerated maturation of inhibitory circuits. In both preterm mice and infants, the functional maturation of the cortex was accelerated, underscoring birth as a critical checkpoint in cortical maturation. Our study points to a potential mechanism of preterm birth-related changes in resting neural activity, highlighting the utility of a cross-species approach in studying the neural circuit mechanisms of preterm birth-related neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle F. Witteveen
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Emily McCoy
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Troy D. Holsworth
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Catherine Z. Shen
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Winnie Chang
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Madelyn G. Nance
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Allison R. Belkowitz
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Avery Dougald
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Meghan H. Puglia
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Psychology, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
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Jia Y, Liu J, Ye Q, Zhang S, Feng L, Xu Z, Zhuang Y, He Y, Zhou Y, Chen X, Yao Y, Jiang R, Thompson B, Li J. Factors predicting regression of visual acuity following successful treatment of anisometropic amblyopia. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1013136. [PMID: 36388932 PMCID: PMC9659723 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1013136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To identify factors associated with visual acuity regression following successful treatment of anisometropic amblyopia. Design and method This was a retrospective cohort study. Database records for 100 and 61 children with anisometropic amblyopia who met at least one criterion for successful treatment proposed by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and had at least 1 year of follow-up data available after the criterion was met were analyzed. The study sample was split into two groups, those who regressed within 1 year of successful treatment (no longer met any of the PEDIG criteria for successful treatment) and those who did not. A two-step analysis involving a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and a logistic regression were used to identify predictor variables for increased risk of regression. A broad range of clinical, perceptual, and demographic variables were included in the analyses. Results Sixty-eight (42.5%) children regressed within 1 year of successful treatment. Among the 27 predictor variables considered within the statistical modeling process, the three most important for predicting treatment regression were the extent of amblyopic eye visual acuity improvement, age at first hospital visit and sex. Specifically, lower risk of regression was associated with larger amblyopic eye visual acuity improvement with treatment, younger age at initiation of treatment and female sex. Conclusion Patients who received treatment at a younger age and responded well to treatment had a lower risk of treatment regression. This pattern of results suggests that early detection of amblyopia and strategies that enhance treatment adherence may reduce the risk of treatment regression. The higher risk of regression in boys than girls that we observed may reflect known sex differences in brain development and /or sex differences in environment within our sample of children from South China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingqing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shenglan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zixuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yijing Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunsi He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yusong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rengang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Benjamin Thompson
| | - Jinrong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jinrong Li
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