PURPOSE: To explore the topological properties of brain functional networks derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with amblyopia.
METHODS: Seventeen amblyopic subjects and twenty control subjects were recruited to undergo a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. The whole-brain functional networks were constructed for each subject, and topological properties such as small-worldness, network effciency and nodal centrality were quantitatively analyzed with graph theoretical analysis.
RESULTS: Both the amblyopic and control groups exhibited small-world properties in brain functional networks, which means a balance between local segregation and global integration for visual information processing. However, compared with control subjects, patients with amblyopia showed altered quantitative values of brain functional networks, characterized with decreased clustering coefficient, lower characteristic path length and decreased network effciency. Topological properties are also significantly altered in some brain regions. These alterations support the disrupted topological organization of brain functional networks in patients with amblyopia.
CONCLUSIONS: Amblyopia is partly resulted from the deficits of visual information transmission. Detection and estimation of altered brain functionl networks can help to further understand the pathophysiological mechanism underlying amblyopia.