The rsFC patterns within the visual areas in CB and SC subjects.

<p><b><i>A</i></b>, the mean rsFC in CB and SC subjects, and group comparisons (<i>P</i><0.05, Bonferroni corrected), in which hot and cool colors represent positive and negative effects, respectively. Color bar represents the log-transformed <i>P</i> value. <b><i>B</i></b>, the rsFC patterns between each pair of the ipsilateral visual areas. <b><i>C</i></b>, The rsFC patterns between each pair of inter-hemispheric visual areas. Orange and light blue lines represent increased and decreased rsFC. Both CB and SC subjects show positive rsFC between visual areas. Significantly increased rsFC between the early (V1 and V2) and several ipsilateral higher-tier visual areas (V8 and LO), while decreased rsFC between inter-hemispheric visual areas are shown in CB subjects.</p

The rsFC maps between the S1 and the visual areas.

<p><b><i>A</i></b>, the rsFC map of SC subjects. <b><i>B</i></b>, the rsFC map of CB subjects. <b><i>C</i></b>, the differential maps of rsFC between CB and SC subjects with thresholded at P<0.05 (FDR corrected). The upper and lower panel represents the FC results of the S1 area in the left and right hemisphere, respectively. Compared with SC subjects, CB subjects showed significantly decreased (cool color) rsFC between the S1 and the visual areas, especially the early visual areas (V1 and V2) and the ventral stream (VP and V4v).</p

Demographic information of congenitally blind subjects.

*<p>These two CB subjects were excluded from rest-state functional connectivity analysis for excessive head motion. CB  =  congenitally blind.</p

ROI analyses of the rsFC between the S1 and visual areas.

<p><b><i>A</i></b> and <b><i>B</i></b>, the mean rsFC of CB (blue bar) and SC (green bar) subjects between intra-hemisphere and intra-hemisphere, respectively. An asterisk represents significantly differences (<i>P</i><0.05, Bonferroni corrected). <b><i>C</i></b>, the defined S1 and visual ROIs. <b><i>D</i></b>, rsFC patterns between S1 and visual areas in the SC. <b><i>E</i></b>, rsFC patterns between S1 and visual areas in the CB. <b><i>F</i></b>, group differences of rsFC between CB and SC subjects. Orange and light blue edges represent positive and negative effects. Blue, red and green nodes represent S1, affected and non-affected visual areas. Compared with SC subjects, CB subjects showed significantly decreased rsFC of the S1 with the early visual areas and the ventral stream ones, with no difference being observed in several higher-tier visual areas.</p

Comparison maps of cortical thickness between CB and SC subjects in a vertex-wise manner.

<p><b><i>A</i></b>, significantly increased cortical thickness in CB subjects is observed in the visual areas while absent in primary somatosensory cortex (S1) within a searching mask including the whole visual cortex and S1 (<i>P</i><0.01, FDR corrected). <b><i>B</i></b>, significantly increased cortical thickness in CB subjects is observed in the early visual areas (V1, V2 and VP), but not in higher-tier ones (V3A, V7, MT+ and V8) and in S1. Scale bar represents the log-transformed <i>P</i> value.</p

Brain areas whose GMVs are correlated with the DB scores.

<p>Abbreviations: DB, digits backward; GMV, gray matter volume; IFG, inferior frontal gyrus; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; ROI, region of interest; STG, superior temporal gyrus.</p

Brain areas in which positive rsFC with the amygdala subregion is correlated with HA score.

<p>Among the positive rsFCs with the amygdala subregion, only two were correlated with HA scores. Specifically, HA scores were positively correlated (red colors) with rsFC between the right CM and the right PMC, but were negatively correlated (blue colors) with rsFC between the right SF and the right VS. Abbreviations: CM, centromedial subregion; rsFC, resting-state functional connectivity; L, left; LB, laterobasal subregion; PMC, premotor cortex; R, right; SF, superficial subregion; and VS, ventral striatum.</p

The brain areas whose rsFCs with ROI 1 are positively correlated with the DB scores (<i>P</i><0.05, corrected).

<p>Abbreviations: DB, digits backward; L, left; R, right; ROI, region of interest; rsFC, resting-state functional connectivity.</p

Demographic and behavioral data of the subjects.

<p>Abbreviations: BDI, Beck depression inventory; and HA, harm avoidance.</p><p>Data are expressed as the mean ± the standard deviation.</p

Brain areas whose rsFCs with the seed ROIs are correlated with the DB scores.

<p>Abbreviations: dACC, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex; DB, digits backward; FIC, fronto-insular cortex; GMV, gray matter volume; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; ROI, region of interest; rsFC, resting-state functional connectivity.</p