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Br J Ophthalmol 2001;85:1052-1056 doi:10.1136/bjo.85.9.1052
  • Scientific correspondence

Comparison between anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia using functional magnetic resonance imaging

  1. Mi Young Choia,
  2. Kyoung-Min Leeb,
  3. Jeong-Min Hwangc,
  4. Dong Gyu Choid,
  5. Dong Soo Leee,
  6. Ki Ho Parkc,
  7. Young Suk Yuc
  1. aDepartment of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Korea, bDepartment of Neurology, cDepartment of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University and Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea, dDepartment of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Korea, eDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea
  1. Young Suk Yu, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 28 Yeongun-Dong, Chongro-Ku, Seoul 110-744, Koreaysyu{at}snu.ac.kr
  • Accepted 28 March 2001

Abstract

AIMS To assess calcarine activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in patients with anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia.

METHODS 14 amblyopes (eight anisometropic and six strabismic) were studied with fMRI using stimuli of checkerboards of various checker sizes and temporal frequencies. While T2* weighted MRI were obtained every 3 seconds for 6 minutes, patients viewed the stimuli monocularly with either the amblyopic or sound eye.

RESULTS Amblyopic eyes showed reduced calcarine activation compared with contralateral sound eyes in fMRI in all subjects. The calcarine activation from amblyopic eyes in anisometropic amblyopes was more suppressed at higher spatial frequencies, while that from amblyopic eyes in strabismic amblyopes was more suppressed at lower spatial frequencies.

CONCLUSION These results suggest that fMRI is a useful tool for the study of amblyopia in humans. The calcarine activation via amblyopic eyes because of anisometropia or strabismus has different temporospatial characteristics, which suggests differences in the neurophysiological mechanisms between two types of amblyopia.

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