Functional Connectivity Hypointensity of Middle Cingulate Gyrus and Thalamus in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Abstract

ObjectiveAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes visual damage and blindness globally. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in functional connectivity (FC) in AMD patients using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).Subjects and MethodsA total of 23 patients (12 male, 11 female) with AMD were enrolled to the AMD patients group (AMDs), and 17 healthy age-, sex-, and education-matched controls (9 male, 8 female) to the healthy controls group (HCs). All participants underwent rs-fMRI and mean FC values were compared between the two groups.ResultsSignificantly higher FC values were found in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), superior frontal gyrus (SFG), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), rectal gyrus (RTG), and superior parietal lobule (SPL) in AMDs compared with HCs. Conversely, FC values in the cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL), middle cingulate gyrus (MCG), medulla (MDL), cerebellum anterior lobe (CAL), and thalamus (TLM) were significantly lower in AMDs than in HCs.ConclusionThis study demonstrated FC abnormalities in many specific cerebral regions in AMD patients, and may provide new insights for exploration of potential pathophysiological mechanism of AMD-induced functional cerebral changes.

Accelerated Brain Atrophy, Microstructural Decline and Connectopathy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

“…Our findings of accelerated FA reduction in visual, temporal, and cingulate areas complement reports of altered functional connectivity [82,93] in the cingulate, and its altered role in memory related tasks in AMD [37]. Damage in both the anterior and posterior cingulate has been associated with apathy, akinesia, and increased stupor [94].…”

Abnormal functional connectivity in psoriasis patients with depression is associated with their clinical symptoms

“…The middle cingulate gyrus (MCG) is located between the cingulate sulcus and the sulcus of the corpus callosum and has extensive connections with other parts of the brain through nerve fibers ( Li et al, 2017 ; Huang et al, 2018 ). The MCG is regarded as a significant part of the emotional circuit and participates in processes such as regulating the body’s cognitive, emotional, memory, and self-evaluation functions ( Xiao et al, 2022 ). Recently, an increasing number of studies have reported that the cingulate cortex is widely related to the development of depression.…”