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Modulation of the Emotional Response to Viewing Strabismic Children in Mothers—Measured by fMRI

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Abstract

Purpose

Strabismus influences not only the individual with nonparallel eyes but also the observer. It has previously been demonstrated by fMRI that adults viewing images of strabismic adults have a negative reaction to the images as demonstrated by limbic activation, especially activation of the left amygdala. The aim of this study was to see if mothers would have a similar reaction to viewing strabismic children and whether or not that reaction would be different in mothers of strabismic children.

Methods

Healthy mothers of children with strabismus (n = 10, Group I) and without strabismus (n = 15, Group II) voluntarily underwent fMRI at 3T. Blood oxygen level dependent signal responses to viewing images of strabismic and non-strabismic children were analyzed.

Results

Group II, while viewing images of strabismic children, showed significantly increased activation of the limbic network (p < 0.05) and bilateral amygdala activation. Group I showed considerably less limbic activation, compared to the group II, and had no amygdala activation. Both groups revealed statically significant activation in the FEF (frontal eye field) when they were viewing images of strabismic children as compared to when they were viewing children with parallel eyes. The activated FEF area for Group II was much larger than for group I.

Conclusion

Mothers of non-strabismic children showed similar negative emotional fMRI patterns as adults did while viewing strabismic adults. Strabismus is an interpersonal organic issue for the observer, which also impacts the youngest members of our society.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly acknowledge the Aarau Cantonal Hospital Research Fond (Grant No. 1410.000.055). We have no further financial disclosures to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroradiology, Cantonal Hospital, Tellstrasse 25, 5001, Aarau, Switzerland

    J. Berberat, M. Montali, P. Gruber, M. Hlavica & L. Remonda

  2. Ophthalmology, Cantonal Hospital, Aarau, Switzerland

    A. Pircher & H. P. Killer

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    F. Wang

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    F. Wang

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  1. J. Berberat
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  2. M. Montali
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  6. F. Wang
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  7. H. P. Killer
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  8. L. Remonda
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Correspondence to J. Berberat.

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Conflict of interest

J. Berberat, M. Montali, P. Gruber, A. Pircher, M. Hlavica, F. Wang, H.P. Killer and L. Remonda declare that they have no competing interests.

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Berberat, J., Montali, M., Gruber, P. et al. Modulation of the Emotional Response to Viewing Strabismic Children in Mothers—Measured by fMRI. Clin Neuroradiol 29, 87–94 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-017-0625-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00062-017-0625-5

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