Central alterations of brain networks in patients with optic neuritis: a resting state fMRI study
Authors:   Fuzhou Aier Ophthalmology Hospital, Fuzhou 344000, Fujian Province, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University International Hospital, Beijing 102206, China, Huang Liang , Zhong Lei ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China, Liao Xuan ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan Province, China, Zhou Xian-Mei ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan Province, China, Ge Qian-Min ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Ling Qian ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Zeng Yan-Mei ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Wang Xiao-Yu ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Hu Jin-Yu ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Chen Cheng ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, He Liang-Qi ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Zhou Qiong ,   Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China, Shao Yi ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
Published: February 2025

AIM: To assess the alterations in the resting-state function connections between the two cerebral hemispheres in patients with optic neuritis (ON) and healthy controls (HCs).
METHODS: A total of 12 ON patients (six males and six females) and 12 HCs (six males and six females) who were highly matched for sex, age, and educational level were recruited. They underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), testing and brain activities were assessed using the degree centrality (DC) method. Correlation analysis between the mean DC values in specific brain areas and behavior performances was analyzed as well. Linear correlations between A anxiety scale (AS) and depression scale (DS) values and DC values in brain regions of patients with ON were also analyzed.
RESULTS: The areas that showed a higher DC value in ON patients were the right angular gyrus and bilateral precuneus, while the left insula and left superior temporal gyrus (LSTG) were regions that presented a lower DC value in ON patients. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed the accuracy of the area under the curve (AUC) assessment. Linear analysis showed anxiety scale (AS) and depression scale (DS) values in the left insula were both negatively correlated with DC values, while best corrected visual acuity logMAR-R (BCVA logMAR-R) showed a negative correlation with DC in the LSTG.
CONCLUSION: The study explores altered brain activities of specific regions in patients with ON. The results provide clues for revealing the underlying mechanism of ON development.