Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41388263›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2025

Age-dependent recovery of white matter integrity after surgical correction in children with infantile esotropia.

Yue Zhang, Yue Wang, Jianlin Guo, Tianyu Fang, Rong Wang, Weijin Liu, Xin Zhao, Qiuyun Fan, Yuanyuan Chen, Yun Peng

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Article in BMC neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yue ZhangMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Yue WangMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Jianlin GuoDepartment of Radiology, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China.
Tianyu FangMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Rong WangMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Weijin LiuMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Xin ZhaoMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Qiuyun FanMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Yuanyuan ChenMedical School, Faculty of Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. bain@tju.edu.cn.
Yun PengDepartment of Radiology, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China. ppengyun@hotmail.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 12171330National Natural Science Foundation of China 82071994National Natural Science Foundation of China 82202249the Beijing Hospitals Authority's Ascent Plan DFL20221002the STI 2030-Major Projects 2021ZD0200508
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInfantile esotropia may interfere with white matter maturation during early childhood, a critical period of brain development. Surgical correction not only restores ocular alignment but may also influence neurodevelopmental trajectories. However, the role of age in modulating white matter recovery after surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of age on white matter rehabilitation following surgical intervention in children with infantile esotropia, with the goal of identifying the optimal therapeutic window to maximize both neurodevelopmental and clinical outcomes.

methodsWe included 29 typically developing children (F/M = 14/15) and 30 children with IE (F/M = 13/17), 17 of whom provided longitudinal data following surgical intervention. All participants underwent MRI scanning and clinical assessments. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed to quantify white matter integrity using fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Automated fiber quantification was applied to analyze microstructural properties across 20 major white matter tracts. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to evaluate developmental trajectories in patients versus controls.

resultsPreoperatively, IE patients exhibited significantly elevated MD across multiple tracts, including the thalamic radiation and forceps minor. Following surgery, MD values decreased significantly in most tracts. FA alterations were less pronounced, with preoperative reductions and postoperative improvement limited to only a few tracts. In controls, age was negatively correlated with MD and FA changes. Longitudinal analysis revealed that surgical intervention was associated with accelerated growth in white matter microstructure compared to typical development, particularly in younger children.

conclusionsSurgical correction of IE facilitates white matter restoration through mechanisms that operate independently of, and synergistically with, typical neurodevelopment. Earlier intervention is associated with faster rates of microstructural recovery, suggesting a higher sensitive period during which surgery can maximize white matter repair and optimize functional outcomes.

Indexed as

EsotropiaRecovery of FunctionWhite MatterAge FactorsAnisotropyChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesDiffusion Tensor ImagingFemaleHumansInfantLongitudinal StudiesMaleDiffusion tensor imagingInfantile esotropiaNeurodevelopmentSurgical interventionWhite matter integrity

Identifiers

PMID41388263
PMCPMC12817619

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