Abstract
Background: Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a serious eye disease that causes irreversible damage to the eye. It can significantly increase intraocular pressure and cause severe pain, as well as abnormal activity in the cortical and pre-cortical visual systems. However, there are few studies in this area. This trial assessed the altered regional brain activity in patients with NVG using the percentage of fluctuation amplitude (PerAF) method.Methods: Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans were conducted in 18 individuals with NVG and 18 healthy controls (HCs), matched for education level, gender, and age. The PerAF method was applied to assess brain activity. Mean PerAF values of brain regions in NVG and HCs were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results: Lower PerAF values were found in the NVG group than in controls in the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG.R), right superior occipital gyrus (SOG.R) and left superior frontal gyrus (orbital part) (ORBsup.L) (p < 0.001). In contrast, PerAF value was higher in NVG patients than in controls in the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG.L) (p < 0.001). The hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and visual analog score (VAS) were significantly and positively correlated with PerAF in ITG.L (r = 0.9331, p < 0.0001; and r = 0.7816, p = 0.0001, respectively).Conclusion: Abnormal activity in the patient’s brain regions further confirms that the NVG affects the entire brain, not just the visual pathways and posterior retinal mechanisms (including the hypothalamic lateral geniculate nucleus and the primary visual cortex). This strengthens our understanding of the NVG and provides potential diagnostic and therapeutic support for patients who are difficult to diagnose and treat early.
Highlights
Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a secondary eye disease caused by a variety of ocular and systemic diseases and is closely related to retinal ischemia and hypoxia caused by diseases
Values were lower in NVG than HCs in the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG.R), left superior frontal gyrus (ORBsup.L) and right superior occipital gyrus (SOG.R) (Figure 2)
We found an aberrant increased percentage of fluctuation amplitude (PerAF) values of inferior temporal gyrus (ITG).L and abnormally low PerAF values in brain regions of ORBsup.L, SOG.R, and ACG.R in patients with NVG compared to HCs, which may cause impaired visual function (Figure 6)
Summary
Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a secondary eye disease caused by a variety of ocular and systemic diseases and is closely related to retinal ischemia and hypoxia caused by diseases. NVG can manifest as increased intraocular pressure, photophobia, severe eye pain, corneal swelling, and iris erythema, causing irreversible visual impairment and severely affecting the lives of patients worldwide. This study focused on stage III NVG and assessed patients altered functional activity of brain regions using PerAF. Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a serious eye disease that causes irreversible damage to the eye. It can significantly increase intraocular pressure and cause severe pain, as well as abnormal activity in the cortical and pre-cortical visual systems. There are few studies in this area This trial assessed the altered regional brain activity in patients with NVG using the percentage of fluctuation amplitude (PerAF) method
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
