To examine if congenital visual impairment is associated with differences in brain anatomy in children.
Ten children (8–12y) with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system with severe visual impairment ( SVI; >0.8 log MAR) or mild‐to‐moderate visual impairment ( MVI; 0.6–0.8 log MAR) were compared to 21 typically sighted comparison ( TSC) children. Thalamus volume, grey matter density, white matter microstructure, and integrity of visual tracts were investigated in SVI, MVI, and TSC groups with anatomical and diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
Compared to the TSC group, the SVI group had lower white matter integrity in tracts of the visual system (optic radiations: SVI 0.35±0.015, TSC 0.39±0.007 [ p=0.022]; posterior corpus callosum: SVI 0.37±0.019; TSC 0.42±0.009 [ p=0.033]) and lower left thalamus volume ( SVI 4.37±0.087; TSC 4.99±0.339 [ p=0.015]). Neuroanatomical differences were greater in the SVI group, while no consistent differences between the MVI and TSC group were observed.
Severe visual impairment in mid‐childhood is associated with reduced integrity of visual pathways and reduced thalamus volume.
This article is commented on by Bauer on page https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14339 of this issue.