Positron emission tomographic studies of cortical function in human amblyopia.

Positron emission tomography has confirmed that amblyopia is a visual disorder manifested by functional abnormalities in cerebral cortex. Studies of local cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism as indicators of brain function in amblyopia are reviewed. Also presented is evidence for functional similarity of normal calcarine cortical responses during deprivation of high spatial frequencies by optical blur, to the responses during visual stimulation of amblyopic eyes. Recent evidence is presented concerning the quantitative relationship between behavioral measures of visual function in amblyopic eyes, and functional measures such as visual evoked potentials and blood flow increases in calcarine cortex.