Functional MRI reveals effects of high intraocular pressure on central nervous system in high‐tension glaucoma patients

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 97; no. 3; pp. e341 - e348
• Main Authors: Wang, Yi, Lu, Weizhao, Yan, Tingqin, Zhou, Jian, Xie, Yuanzhong, Yuan, Jiumin, Liu, Guangling, Teng, Yufang, Han, Wenhui, Chen, Di, Qiu, Jianfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Brain mapping; Central nervous system; Cerebellum; Frontal gyrus; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Glaucoma; Hemispheric laterality; high‐tension glaucoma; intraocular pressure; Memory; Nervous system; Neuroimaging; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Patients; Pressure; regional homogeneity; resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging; Visual perception; resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging; high-tension glaucoma; intraocular pressure; regional homogeneity; central nervous system
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/aos.14027

Purpose To evaluate the effects of high intraocular pressure (IOP) on central nervous system in patients with high‐tension glaucoma (HTG) by using resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI). Methods Thirty‐six patients with HTG and twenty age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and underwent IOP measurement and rs‐fMRI scan. The whole brain regional homogeneity (ReHo) value was calculated among the enrolled subjects. Two‐sample t tests with permutation test and threshold‐free cluster enhancement was performed between HTG group and HCs. Correlation analyses between IOP and ReHo values were conducted. Results Compared with HCs, HTG group showed increased ReHo values in the left lobule 8 of cerebellar hemisphere, left lobule 4 and 5 of cerebellar hemisphere and left fusiform gyrus (FG) (p < 0.05). HTG group showed decreased ReHo value in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) (p < 0.05). Intraocular pressure of the left eye in HTG group experienced a significant positive correlation with ReHo value of the left FG (r = 0.370, p = 0.026), IOP of the right eye in HTG group showed a significant negative correlation with ReHo value in the left MFG (r = −0.421, p = 0.011). Conclusion Resting‐state fMRI ReHo analyses associated elevated IOP with abnormal regional activity in several brain regions related to higher visual function and visual memory consolidation. High‐tension glaucoma patients also showed diminished integration of visual information and cerebellar function. These results may provide imaging support for pathophysiological research of HTG and may reveal new targets for the accurate treatment of HTG.