BACKGROUND　AND　PURPOSEThis　study　aims　to　investigate　the　regional　changes　in　the　early　onset　of　blindness　using　the　deformation-based　morphometry　(DBM)　method.　METHODSA　total　of　15　early　blindness　and　30　gender-　and　age-matched　sighted　control　subjects　were　recruited　for　the　study.　Statistically　significant　changes　in　regional　volume　were　analyzed　using　DBM　through　HAMMER　registration.　Using　this　technique,　changes　in　regional　tissue　volume　can　be　detected　on　the　basis　of　the　deformation　field　derived　from　the　warping　subject　to　the　template　image.　A　voxelwise　estimation　of　the　morphological　differences　between　the　two　groups　can　be　acquired　after　applying　a　threshold　(P　＜　.001,　uncorrected)　to　the　statistic　maps.　RESULTSRegions　with　enlarged　volume　in　the　brains　of　blind　subjects　are　mainly　localized　in　the　left　associated　visual　cortex,　posterior　cingulated　cortex,　and　cerebellum,　whereas　volume　reductions　are　primarily　localized　in　the　left　early　visual　cortex.　CONCLUSIONSDBM　is　an　effective　method　for　detecting　entire　brain　structural　changes　in　blindness.　Visual　deprivation　actually　alters　the　local　structural　organization　during　the　early　critical　periods　of　neurodevelopment.　Volume　increases　outside　the　occipital　lobe　detected　with　DBM　may　suggest　compensatory　adaptations.