Exploration of Hippocampal Functional Connectivity Alterations in Patients with High Myopia via Seed-Based Functional Connectivity Analysis

Abstract

Aim

The objective of this study was to examine changes in functional connectivity (FC) in the hippocampus among patients with high myopia (HM) compared to healthy controls (HCs) through the utilization of seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis.

Methods

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted on a sample of 82 patients diagnosed with high myopia (HM) and 59 HCs. The two groups were matched based on age, weight and other relevant variables. Using seed-based FC analysis to detect alterations in hippocampal FC patterns in HM patients and HCs. Furthermore, a correlation analysis was performed to examine the associations between the mean functional connectivity (FC) signals in various brain regions of patients with HM and their corresponding clinical manifestations.

Results

The FC values in the left temporal pole-temporal gyrus (L-TPOsup), right hippocampus (R-HIP), left medial temporal gyrus (L-MTG) and left hippocampus in HM patients were significantly lower than those of healthy subjects. In the left temporal pole-superior temporal gyrus (L-TPOsup), right orbital part of middle frontal gyrus (RO-MFG), left fusiform gyrus (L-FG), left cerebellum superior (L-Cbe6), left middle temporal gyrus (L-MTG), right thalamus (R-THA), and right hippocampus, FC values were also significantly lower.

Conclusion

Brain dysfunction was observed in various regions of the HM patients, suggesting the existence of neurobiological alterations that could lead to impairments in visual cognition, movement, emotional processing, and visual memory.

Keywords:

• high myopia
• hippocampus
• resting state
• brain function
• brain region
• functional connectivity

Data Sharing Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (Jiangxi Province, China). The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s) for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

Disclosure

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study received support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 82160207), the Technology Plan of Jiangxi Provincial Health and Health Commission (202130156), and the Science and Key Projects of Jiangxi Youth Science Fund (No. 20202ACBL216008).