The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited
Abstract Lower resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between ‘visual’ and non-‘visual’ neural circuits has been reported as a hallmark of congenital blindness. In sighted individuals, RSFC between visual and non-visual brain regions has been shown to increase during rest with eyes closed rela...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91976-9 |
| _version_ | 1818978702865727488 |
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| author | Maria J. S. Guerreiro Madita Linke Sunitha Lingareddy Ramesh Kekunnaya Brigitte Röder |
| author_facet | Maria J. S. Guerreiro Madita Linke Sunitha Lingareddy Ramesh Kekunnaya Brigitte Röder |
| author_sort | Maria J. S. Guerreiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Lower resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between ‘visual’ and non-‘visual’ neural circuits has been reported as a hallmark of congenital blindness. In sighted individuals, RSFC between visual and non-visual brain regions has been shown to increase during rest with eyes closed relative to rest with eyes open. To determine the role of visual experience on the modulation of RSFC by resting state condition—as well as to evaluate the effect of resting state condition on group differences in RSFC—, we compared RSFC between visual and somatosensory/auditory regions in congenitally blind individuals (n = 9) and sighted participants (n = 9) during eyes open and eyes closed conditions. In the sighted group, we replicated the increase of RSFC between visual and non-visual areas during rest with eyes closed relative to rest with eyes open. This was not the case in the congenitally blind group, resulting in a lower RSFC between ‘visual’ and non-‘visual’ circuits relative to sighted controls only in the eyes closed condition. These results indicate that visual experience is necessary for the modulation of RSFC by resting state condition and highlight the importance of considering whether sighted controls should be tested with eyes open or closed in studies of functional brain reorganization as a consequence of blindness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:47:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f52d2abb516b4ecfb255b0b536ad2056 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:47:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-f52d2abb516b4ecfb255b0b536ad20562022-12-21T19:32:53ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-06-0111111410.1038/s41598-021-91976-9The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisitedMaria J. S. Guerreiro0Madita Linke1Sunitha Lingareddy2Ramesh Kekunnaya3Brigitte Röder4Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, University of HamburgBiological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, University of HamburgDepartment of Radiology, Lucid Medical DiagnosticsChild Sight Institute, Jasti V. Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center, Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Neuro-Ophthalmology, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy CampusBiological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute for Psychology, University of HamburgAbstract Lower resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between ‘visual’ and non-‘visual’ neural circuits has been reported as a hallmark of congenital blindness. In sighted individuals, RSFC between visual and non-visual brain regions has been shown to increase during rest with eyes closed relative to rest with eyes open. To determine the role of visual experience on the modulation of RSFC by resting state condition—as well as to evaluate the effect of resting state condition on group differences in RSFC—, we compared RSFC between visual and somatosensory/auditory regions in congenitally blind individuals (n = 9) and sighted participants (n = 9) during eyes open and eyes closed conditions. In the sighted group, we replicated the increase of RSFC between visual and non-visual areas during rest with eyes closed relative to rest with eyes open. This was not the case in the congenitally blind group, resulting in a lower RSFC between ‘visual’ and non-‘visual’ circuits relative to sighted controls only in the eyes closed condition. These results indicate that visual experience is necessary for the modulation of RSFC by resting state condition and highlight the importance of considering whether sighted controls should be tested with eyes open or closed in studies of functional brain reorganization as a consequence of blindness.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91976-9 |
| spellingShingle | Maria J. S. Guerreiro Madita Linke Sunitha Lingareddy Ramesh Kekunnaya Brigitte Röder The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited Scientific Reports |
| title | The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited |
| title_full | The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited |
| title_fullStr | The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited |
| title_short | The effect of congenital blindness on resting-state functional connectivity revisited |
| title_sort | effect of congenital blindness on resting state functional connectivity revisited |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91976-9 |
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