Recent imaging research has demonstrated the capacity of the human brain to modify its organisation in response to vision loss. For example, the occipital (i.e., visual) cortex in blind individuals may become activated during the performance of auditory and tactile tasks. In this talk, I present neuroimaging data from my PhD research which examined the behavioural and neural consequences of complete vision loss. Individuals blinded at different phases in development (congenital, early-onset, late-onset) were compared. MRI and fMRI methods were used to examine a number of inter-related questions, including::
1. To what extent do blind individuals show occipital activation during auditory processing?
2. Do blind individuals have enlarged brain volumes and functional representations in the primary auditory cortex?
4. How does brain plasticity relate to behavioural abilities in blind individuals? How does this relationship vary with the age of onset of blindness?
The findings provide insights into the malleability of the human brain across the life-span. They may have potential implications for the development of effective rehabilitation strategies such as visual prothesis and sensory substitution devices.
Authors: Catherin Y. Wan, Amanda G. Wood, Sarah J. Wilson, David C. Reutens
Event: SF08: Speed Papers