Publications by authors named "Benedict Rak"

Article Synopsis
  • Two siblings aged 3 and 5 share the same genotype but display different eye, skin, and hair colors due to pathogenic and risk-factor genetic variants.
  • One child has more severe hypopigmentation and vision issues, while the other has brown eyes and some visual capabilities.
  • The study proposes a model linking genotype to phenotype that suggests reduced pigmentation may impact binocular functions and strabismus, which hasn’t been previously reported.
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Article Synopsis
  • - A case study of an 11-year-old boy shows symptoms consistent with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) but has genetic variants classified as variants of unknown significance (VUS).
  • - Genetic testing revealed three missense VUS that might be impacting enzyme expressions involved in pigmentation, suggesting a possible mild form of OCA.
  • - The study found no evidence of chiasmal misrouting or significant changes in ganglion cell thickness, indicating certain genetic variants may be benign.
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The purpose was to define the threshold of normal visual acuity (VA), mean monocular and binocular VA, and interocular difference in the uniform cohort of healthy four-year-old children. All the children were recruited from the Croatian National Registry of Early Amblyopia Detection database. LEA Symbols inline optotypes were used for VA testing at near and distance, binocularly and monocularly.

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Pathogenic variants in are associated with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa 10 (RP10), and Leber congenital amaurosis 11. This case report of a 13-year-old girl with Down's syndrome and keratoglobus is aimed at linking the novel variant c.134A>G, p.

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RPE65, an abundant membrane-associated protein present in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), is a vital retinoid isomerase necessary for regenerating 11-cis-retinaldehyde from all-trans retinol in the visual cycle. In patients with inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD), precise genetic diagnosis is an indispensable approach as it is required to establish eligibility for the genetic treatment of RPE65-associated IRDs. This case report aims to report the specific phenotype−genotype correlation of the first patient with a homozygous missense variant RPE65 c.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the long-term effects of uncomplicated phacoemulsification on macular blood flow using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in healthy aging individuals.
  • OCTA measurements were taken before the surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-surgery, revealing significant vascular changes that stabilized one week after the procedure.
  • Findings showed increased blood supply to retinal vessels but no changes in the choroidal area, helping inform decisions regarding cataract surgery timing and providing a baseline for retinal vasculature in older patients.
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Precise genetic diagnosis in RPE65-mediated retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is necessary to establish eligibility for genetic treatment with voretigene neparvovec: a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector providing a functional RPE65 gene. This case report aims to report a novel RP-related point mutation RPE65 c.353G>A, p.

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Background: It is of utmost importance to define the molecular diagnosis of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) due to existing targeted therapeutic option: voretigene neparvovec.We provide clinical evidence for pathogenicity reclassification of variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) c.1580A>G (p.

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Background: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a monogenic, but genetically heterogenous disease, and at least 27 genes are implicated. This case report is aimed at providing evidence to link the novel variant c.393T>A, p.

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Background: The purpose of the study is to investigate the changes of macular perfusion by OCT-angiography (OCT-A) after uncomplicated phacoemulsification.

Methods: OCT-A was performed before cataract surgery, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery recording superficial vascular complex (SVC), nerve fiber layer vascular plexus (NFLVP), superficial vascular plexus (SVP), deep vascular complex (DVC), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), as well as large choroidal blood vessels and choriocapillaris (CC). Explant area (EA), vessels area (VA), vessels percentage area (VPA), total number of junctions (TNJ), junctions density (JD), total vessels length (TVL), average vessels length (AVL), total number of end points (TNEP), and mean lacunarity (ML) throughout all layers were analysed.

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Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between changes in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) parameters at the start of the index episode recovery phase and at recurrence in patients with recurrent depression who were treated with prolonged maintenance therapy.

Methods: 1H-MRS parameters were analyzed in 48 patients with recurrent depression who required maintenance therapy with antidepressant medication prescribed by a psychiatrist and who continued with the same antidepressant during the maintenance phase, either to recurrence of depression, completion of the 10-year observation period, or the start of the withdrawal phase (tapering-off antidepressant). N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing metabolites (Cho), creatine (Cr), and glutamine/glutamate were measured at the start of the recovery phase and 6 months later.

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The aim of this paper is to show the psychological consequences of participation in the Homeland War and experienced trauma which can indirectly be seen through drawing even after more than 15 years after the war had ended. The research was conducted on a sample of 125 patients of both genders treated in the Daily Hospital program of University Hospital Dubrava, Psychiatry Clinics. All the tested had trauma in their medical history and all of them met the PTSD diagnostic criteria, 75 examinees participated in the Homeland War and they represent the veteran group, and 50 examinees went through a stressful situation during peacetime and they represent the civilian group.

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