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Wu YT, Baillet S, Lamontagne A. Brain mechanisms involved in the perception of emotional gait: A combined magnetoencephalography and virtual reality study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299103. [PMID: 38551903 PMCID: PMC10980214 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain processes associated with emotion perception from biological motion have been largely investigated using point-light displays that are devoid of pictorial information and not representative of everyday life. In this study, we investigated the brain signals evoked when perceiving emotions arising from body movements of virtual pedestrians walking in a community environment. Magnetoencephalography was used to record brain activation in 21 healthy young adults discriminating the emotional gaits (neutral, angry, happy) of virtual male/female pedestrians. Event-related responses in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), fusiform body area (FBA), extrastriate body area (EBA), amygdala (AMG), and lateral occipital cortex (Occ) were examined. Brain signals were characterized by an early positive peak (P1;∼200ms) and a late positive potential component (LPP) comprising of an early (400-600ms), middle (600-1000ms) and late phase (1000-1500ms). Generalized estimating equations revealed that P1 amplitude was unaffected by emotion and gender of pedestrians. LPP amplitude showed a significant emotion X phase interaction in all regions of interest, revealing i) an emotion-dependent modulation starting in pSTS and Occ, followed by AMG, FBA and EBA, and ii) generally enhanced responses for angry vs. other gait stimuli in the middle LPP phase. LPP also showed a gender X phase interaction in pSTS and Occ, as gender affected the time course of the response to emotional gait. Present findings show that brain activation within areas associated with biological motion, form, and emotion processing is modulated by emotional gait stimuli rendered by virtual simulations representative of everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Tzu Wu
- School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Feil and Oberfeld Research Centre, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital–Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sylvain Baillet
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital–Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anouk Lamontagne
- School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Feil and Oberfeld Research Centre, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital–Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Malaia EA, Borneman SC, Borneman JD, Krebs J, Wilbur RB. Prediction underlying comprehension of human motion: an analysis of Deaf signer and non-signer EEG in response to visual stimuli. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1218510. [PMID: 37901437 PMCID: PMC10602904 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1218510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sensory inference and top-down predictive processing, reflected in human neural activity, play a critical role in higher-order cognitive processes, such as language comprehension. However, the neurobiological bases of predictive processing in higher-order cognitive processes are not well-understood. Methods This study used electroencephalography (EEG) to track participants' cortical dynamics in response to Austrian Sign Language and reversed sign language videos, measuring neural coherence to optical flow in the visual signal. We then used machine learning to assess entropy-based relevance of specific frequencies and regions of interest to brain state classification accuracy. Results EEG features highly relevant for classification were distributed across language processing-related regions in Deaf signers (frontal cortex and left hemisphere), while in non-signers such features were concentrated in visual and spatial processing regions. Discussion The results highlight functional significance of predictive processing time windows for sign language comprehension and biological motion processing, and the role of long-term experience (learning) in minimizing prediction error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie A. Malaia
- Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Sean C. Borneman
- Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Joshua D. Borneman
- Department of Linguistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Julia Krebs
- Linguistics Department, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ronnie B. Wilbur
- Department of Linguistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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3
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Fakheir Y, Khalil R. The effects of abnormal visual experience on neurodevelopmental disorders. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22408. [PMID: 37607893 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Normal visual development is supported by intrinsic neurobiological mechanisms and by appropriate stimulation from the environment, both of which facilitate the maturation of visual functions. However, an offset of this balance can give rise to visual disorders. Therefore, understanding the factors that support normal vision during development and in the mature brain is important, as vision guides movement, enables social interaction, and allows children to recognize and understand their environment. In this paper, we review fundamental mechanisms that support the maturation of visual functions and discuss and draw links between the perceptual and neurobiological impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. We aim to explore how this is evident in the case of ASD, and how perceptual and neurobiological deficits further degrade social ability. Furthermore, we describe the altered perceptual experience of those with schizophrenia and evaluate theories of the underlying neural deficits that alter perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara Fakheir
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Reem Khalil
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
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4
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Gaglianese A, Fracasso A, Fernandes FG, Harvey B, Dumoulin SO, Petridou N. Mechanisms of speed encoding in the human middle temporal cortex measured by 7T fMRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2050-2061. [PMID: 36637226 PMCID: PMC9980888 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Perception of dynamic scenes in our environment results from the evaluation of visual features such as the fundamental spatial and temporal frequency components of a moving object. The ratio between these two components represents the object's speed of motion. The human middle temporal cortex hMT+ has a crucial biological role in the direct encoding of object speed. However, the link between hMT+ speed encoding and the spatiotemporal frequency components of a moving object is still under explored. Here, we recorded high resolution 7T blood oxygen level-dependent BOLD responses to different visual motion stimuli as a function of their fundamental spatial and temporal frequency components. We fitted each hMT+ BOLD response with a 2D Gaussian model allowing for two different speed encoding mechanisms: (1) distinct and independent selectivity for the spatial and temporal frequencies of the visual motion stimuli; (2) pure tuning for the speed of motion. We show that both mechanisms occur but in different neuronal groups within hMT+, with the largest subregion of the complex showing separable tuning for the spatial and temporal frequency of the visual stimuli. Both mechanisms were highly reproducible within participants, reconciling single cell recordings from MT in animals that have showed both encoding mechanisms. Our findings confirm that a more complex process is involved in the perception of speed than initially thought and suggest that hMT+ plays a primary role in the evaluation of the spatial features of the moving visual input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gaglianese
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospital Center and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain CenterUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
- University of GlasgowSchool of Psychology and NeuroscienceGlasgowUK
- Spinoza Center for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Francisco G. Fernandes
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain CenterUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Ben Harvey
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Serge O. Dumoulin
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
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5
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Cortical encoding of rhythmic kinematic structures in biological motion. Neuroimage 2023; 268:119893. [PMID: 36693597 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological motion (BM) perception is of great survival value to human beings. The critical characteristics of BM information lie in kinematic cues containing rhythmic structures. However, how rhythmic kinematic structures of BM are dynamically represented in the brain and contribute to visual BM processing remains largely unknown. Here, we probed this issue in three experiments using electroencephalogram (EEG). We found that neural oscillations of observers entrained to the hierarchical kinematic structures of the BM sequences (i.e., step-cycle and gait-cycle for point-light walkers). Notably, only the cortical tracking of the higher-level rhythmic structure (i.e., gait-cycle) exhibited a BM processing specificity, manifested by enhanced neural responses to upright over inverted BM stimuli. This effect could be extended to different motion types and tasks, with its strength positively correlated with the perceptual sensitivity to BM stimuli at the right temporal brain region dedicated to visual BM processing. Modeling results further suggest that the neural encoding of spatiotemporally integrative kinematic cues, in particular the opponent motions of bilateral limbs, drives the selective cortical tracking of BM information. These findings underscore the existence of a cortical mechanism that encodes periodic kinematic features of body movements, which underlies the dynamic construction of visual BM perception.
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Troje NF, Chang DHF. Life Detection From Biological Motion. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 32:26-32. [PMID: 36875153 PMCID: PMC9975895 DOI: 10.1177/09637214221128252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Life motion, the active movements of people and other animals, contains a wealth of information that is potentially accessible to the visual system of an observer. Biological-motion point-light displays have been widely used to study both the information contained in life motion stimuli and the visual mechanisms that make use of it. Biological motion conveys motion-mediated dynamic shape, which in turn can be used for identification and recognition of the agent, but it also contains local visual invariants that humans and other animals use as a general detection system that signals the presence of other agents in the visual environment. Here, we review recent research on behavioral, neurophysiological, and genetic aspects of this life-detection system and discuss its functional significance in the light of earlier hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus F Troje
- Department of Biology & Centre for Vision Science, York University
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7
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May E, Arach P, Kishiki E, Geneau R, Maehara G, Sukhai M, Hamm LM. Learning to see after early and extended blindness: A scoping review. Front Psychol 2022; 13:954328. [PMID: 36389599 PMCID: PMC9648338 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.954328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE If an individual has been blind since birth due to a treatable eye condition, ocular treatment is urgent. Even a brief period of visual deprivation can alter the development of the visual system. The goal of our structured scoping review was to understand how we might better support children with delayed access to ocular treatment for blinding conditions. METHOD We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Global Health for peer-reviewed publications that described the impact of early (within the first year) and extended (lasting at least 2 years) bilateral visual deprivation. RESULTS Of 551 reports independently screened by two authors, 42 studies met our inclusion criteria. Synthesizing extracted data revealed several trends. The data suggests persistent deficits in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, global motion, and visual-motor integration, and suspected concerns for understanding complex objects and faces. There is evidence for resilience in color perception, understanding of simple shapes, discriminating between a face and non-face, and the perception of biological motion. There is currently insufficient data about specific (re)habilitation strategies to update low vision services, but there are several insights to guide future research in this domain. CONCLUSION This summary will help guide the research and services provision to help children learn to see after early and extended blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise May
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Robert Geneau
- Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Moshi, Tanzania
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Goro Maehara
- Department of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Mahadeo Sukhai
- Accessibility, Research and International Affairs, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa M. Hamm
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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8
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Ben-Ami S, Gupta P, Yadav M, Shah P, Talwar G, Paswan S, Ganesh S, Troje NF, Sinha P. Human (but not animal) motion can be recognized at first sight - After treatment for congenital blindness. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108307. [PMID: 35752267 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The long-standing nativist vs. empiricist debate asks a foundational question in epistemology - does our knowledge arise through experience or is it available innately? Studies that probe the sensitivity of newborns and patients recovering from congenital blindness are central in informing this dialogue. One of the most robust sensitivities our visual system possesses is to 'biological motion' - the movement patterns of humans and other vertebrates. Various biological motion perception skills (such as distinguishing between movement of human and non-human animals, or between upright and inverted human movement) become evident within the first months of life. The mechanisms of acquiring these capabilities, and specifically the contribution of visual experience to their development, are still under debate. We had the opportunity to directly examine the role of visual experience in biological motion perception, by testing what level of sensitivity is present immediately upon onset of sight following years of congenital visual deprivation. Two congenitally blind patients who underwent sight-restorative cataract-removal surgery late in life (at the ages of 7 and 20 years) were tested before and after sight restoration. The patients were shown displays of walking humans, pigeons, and cats, and asked to describe what they saw. Visual recognition of movement patterns emerged immediately upon eye-opening following surgery, when the patients spontaneously began to identify human, but not animal, biological motion. This recognition ability was evident contemporaneously for upright and inverted human displays. These findings suggest that visual recognition of human motion patterns may not critically depend on visual experience, as it was evident upon first exposure to un-obstructed sight in patients with very limited prior visual exposure, and furthermore, was not limited to the typical (upright) orientation of humans in real-life settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomit Ben-Ami
- MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA; Sagol School of Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Minducate Science of Learning Research and Innovation Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Priti Gupta
- The Project Prakash Center, Delhi, India; Amarnath and Shashi Khosla School of Information Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Saroj Paswan
- The Project Prakash Center, Delhi, India; Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - Suma Ganesh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | - Pawan Sinha
- MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
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9
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Abstract
For four decades, investigations of the biological basis of critical periods in the developing mammalian visual cortex were dominated by study of the consequences of altered early visual experience in cats and nonhuman primates. The neural deficits thus revealed also provided insight into the origin and neural basis of human amblyopia that in turn motivated additional studies of humans with abnormal early visual input. Recent human studies point to deficits arising from alterations in all visual cortical areas and even in nonvisual cortical regions. As the new human data accumulated in parallel with a near-complete shift toward the use of rodent animal models for the study of neural mechanisms, it is now essential to review the human data and the earlier animal data obtained from cats and monkeys to infer general conclusions and to optimize future choice of the most appropriate animal model. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 8 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald E Mitchell
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;
| | - Daphne Maurer
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada;
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10
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Abstract
The auditory cortex of people with sensorineural hearing loss can be re-afferented using a cochlear implant (CI): a neural prosthesis that bypasses the damaged cells in the cochlea to directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Although CIs are the most successful neural prosthesis to date, some CI users still do not achieve satisfactory outcomes using these devices. To explain variability in outcomes, clinicians and researchers have increasingly focused their attention on neuroscientific investigations that examined how the auditory cortices respond to the electric signals that originate from the CI. This chapter provides an overview of the literature that examined how the auditory cortex changes its functional properties in response to inputs from the CI, in animal models and in humans. We focus first on the basic responses to sounds delivered through electrical hearing and, next, we examine the integrity of two fundamental aspects of the auditory system: tonotopy and processing of binaural cues. When addressing the effects of CIs in humans, we also consider speech-evoked responses. We conclude by discussing to what extent this neuroscientific literature can contribute to clinical practices and help to overcome variability in outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Pavani
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
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11
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Virus MA, Ehrhorn EG, Lui LM, Davis PH. Neurological and Neurobehavioral Disorders Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Humans. J Parasitol Res 2021; 2021:6634807. [PMID: 34712493 PMCID: PMC8548174 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6634807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to infect up to 30% of the world population, leading to lifelong chronic infection of the brain and muscle tissue. Although most latent T. gondii infections in humans have traditionally been considered asymptomatic, studies in rodents suggest phenotypic neurological changes are possible. Consequently, several studies have examined the link between T. gondii infection and diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorder, dysphoria, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, there is varying evidence of the relationship of T. gondii to these human neurological or neurobehavioral disorders. A thorough review of T. gondii literature was conducted to highlight and summarize current findings. We found that schizophrenia was most frequently linked to T. gondii infection, while sleep disruption showed no linkage to T. gondii infection, and other conditions having mixed support for a link to T. gondii. However, infection as a cause of human neurobehavioral disease has yet to be firmly established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell A. Virus
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Evie G. Ehrhorn
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - LeeAnna M. Lui
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Paul H. Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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12
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Pitchaimuthu K, Dormal G, Sourav S, Shareef I, Rajendran SS, Ossandón JP, Kekunnaya R, Röder B. Steady state evoked potentials indicate changes in nonlinear neural mechanisms of vision in sight recovery individuals. Cortex 2021; 144:15-28. [PMID: 34562698 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Humans with a transient phase of congenital pattern vision deprivation have been observed to feature prevailing deficits, particularly in higher order visual functions. However, the neural correlates of these prevalent visual impairments remain unclear. To probe different visual processing stages, we measured steady state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) generated by luminance flicker stimuli at 6.1 Hz, with superimposed horizontal periodic motion at 2.1 Hz or 2.4 Hz. SSVEP responses at the fundamental and second harmonic of luminance flicker frequency, and at their intermodulation frequencies with motion information, were analyzed. Three groups were tested: (1) 15 individuals who had suffered a lack of pattern vision from birth due to the presence of bilateral total congenital cataracts (CC group), which were surgically removed between 4 months and 22 years of age, (2) 13 individuals with reversed developmental i.e., later developing cataracts (DC group), and (3) normally sighted control participants (SC group; n = 13) matched in age and sex to the CC individuals. SSVEPs at the second harmonic frequency (i.e., 12.2 Hz) and at the intermodulation frequencies (8.2 Hz, and 8.5 Hz) were attenuated in the CC group. In contrast, fundamental frequency responses (i.e., at 6.1 Hz) were not significantly altered in the CC group compared to the control groups (SC and DC groups). Based on previous evidence on the role of striate vs. extrastriate generators of fundamental vs. second harmonics of SSVEPs, these results provide evidence for a stronger experience dependence of extrastriate than striate cortical processing, and furthermore, suggest a sensitive period for the development of putative nonlinear neural mechanisms hypothesized to mediate visual feature binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabilan Pitchaimuthu
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Giulia Dormal
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Suddha Sourav
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Idris Shareef
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, 500 034 Hyderabad, India
| | - Siddhart S Rajendran
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, 500 034 Hyderabad, India
| | - José Pablo Ossandón
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, 500 034 Hyderabad, India
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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13
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Visual motion processing recruits regions selective for auditory motion in early deaf individuals. Neuroimage 2021; 230:117816. [PMID: 33524580 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In early deaf individuals, the auditory deprived temporal brain regions become engaged in visual processing. In our study we tested further the hypothesis that intrinsic functional specialization guides the expression of cross-modal responses in the deprived auditory cortex. We used functional MRI to characterize the brain response to horizontal, radial and stochastic visual motion in early deaf and hearing individuals matched for the use of oral or sign language. Visual motion showed enhanced response in the 'deaf' mid-lateral planum temporale, a region selective to auditory motion as demonstrated by a separate auditory motion localizer in hearing people. Moreover, multivariate pattern analysis revealed that this reorganized temporal region showed enhanced decoding of motion categories in the deaf group, while visual motion-selective region hMT+/V5 showed reduced decoding when compared to hearing people. Dynamic Causal Modelling revealed that the 'deaf' motion-selective temporal region shows a specific increase of its functional interactions with hMT+/V5 and is now part of a large-scale visual motion selective network. In addition, we observed preferential responses to radial, compared to horizontal, visual motion in the 'deaf' right superior temporal cortex region that also show preferential response to approaching/receding sounds in the hearing brain. Overall, our results suggest that the early experience of auditory deprivation interacts with intrinsic constraints and triggers a large-scale reallocation of computational load between auditory and visual brain regions that typically support the multisensory processing of motion information.
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14
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Visual experience dependent plasticity in humans. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 67:155-162. [PMID: 33340877 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
While sensitive periods in brain development have often been studied by investigating the recovery of visual functions after a congenital phase of visual deprivation in non-human animals, research in humans who had recovered sight after a transient phase of congenital blindness is still scarce. Here, we discuss the hypothesis put forward based on non-human primate work which states that the effects of experience increase downstream the visual processing hierarchy. Recent results from behavioral and neuroscience studies in sight recovery individuals are discussed in the context of research findings from permanently congenitally blind humans as well as from prospective studies in infants and children.
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15
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Röder B, Kekunnaya R, Guerreiro MJS. Neural mechanisms of visual sensitive periods in humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 120:86-99. [PMID: 33242562 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Sensitive periods in brain development are phases of enhanced susceptibility to experience. Here we discuss research from human and non-human neuroscience studies which have demonstrated a) differences in the way infants vs. adults learn; b) how the brain adapts to atypical conditions, in particular a congenital vs. a late onset blindness (sensitive periods for atypical brain development); and c) the extent to which neural systems are capable of acquiring a typical brain organization after sight restoration following a congenital vs. late phase of pattern vision deprivation (sensitive periods for typical brain development). By integrating these three lines of research, we propose neural mechanisms characteristic of sensitive periods vs. adult neuroplasticity and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
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16
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Biological Action Identification Does Not Require Early Visual Input for Development. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0534-19.2020. [PMID: 33060179 PMCID: PMC7598910 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0534-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual input during the first years of life is vital for the development of numerous visual functions. While normal development of global motion perception seems to require visual input during an early sensitive period, the detection of biological motion (BM) does not seem to do so. A more complex form of BM processing is the identification of human actions. Here, we tested whether identification rather than detection of BM is experience dependent. A group of human participants who had been treated for congenital cataracts (CC; of up to 18 years in duration, CC group) had to identify ten actions performed by human line figures. In addition, they performed a coherent motion (CM) detection task, which required identifying the direction of CM amid the movement of random dots. As controls, developmental cataract (DC) reversal individuals (DC group) who had undergone the same surgical treatment as CC group were included. Moreover, normally sighted controls were tested both with vision blurred to match the visual acuity (VA) of CC individuals [vision matched (VM) group] and with full sight [sighted control (SC) group]. The CC group identified biological actions with an extraordinary high accuracy (on average ∼85% correct) and was indistinguishable from the VM control group. By contrast, CM processing impairments of the CC group persisted even after controlling for VA. These results in the same individuals demonstrate an impressive resilience of BM processing to aberrant early visual experience and at the same time a sensitive period for the development of CM processing.
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Sourav S, Bottari D, Shareef I, Kekunnaya R, Röder B. An electrophysiological biomarker for the classification of cataract-reversal patients: A case-control study. EClinicalMedicine 2020; 27:100559. [PMID: 33073221 PMCID: PMC7548424 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Untreated congenital blindness through cataracts leads to lasting visual brain system changes, including substantial alterations of extrastriate visual areas. Consequently, late-treated individuals (> 5 months of age) with dense congenital bilateral cataracts (CC) exhibit poorer visual function recovery compared to individuals with bilateral developmental cataracts (DC). Reliable methods to differentiate between patients with congenital and developmental cataracts are often lacking, impeding efficient rehabilitation management and introducing confounds in clinical and basic research on recovery prognosis and optimal timing of surgery. A persistent reduction of the P1 wave of visual event-related potentials (VERPs), associated with extrastriate visual cortical activity, has been reported in CC but not in DC individuals. Using two experiments, this study developed and validated P1-based biomarkers for diagnosing a history of congenital blindness in cataract-reversal individuals. METHODS Congenital and developmental cataract-reversal individuals as well as typically sighted matched controls took part in a first experiment used for exploring an electrophysiological biomarker (N CC = 13, N DC = 13, N Control = 26). Circular stimuli containing gratings were presented in one of the visual field quadrants while visual event-related potentials (VERPs) were recorded. Two biomarkers were derived from the P1 wave of the VERP: (1) The mean of the normalized P1 amplitude at posterior electrodes, and (2) a classifier obtained from a linear support vector machine (SVM). A second experiment with partially new CC/DC individuals and their matched controls (N CC = 14, N DC = 15, N Control = 29) was consecutively used to validate the classification based on both biomarkers. Performance of the classifiers were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. All cataract-reversal individuals were tested after at least one year of vision recovery. FINDINGS The normalized P1 amplitude over posterior electrodes allowed a successful classification of the CC from the DC individuals and typically sighted controls (area under ROC curve, AUC = 0.803 and 0.929 for the normalized P1 amplitude and the SVM-based biomarker, respectively). The validation for both biomarkers in experiment 2 again resulted in a high classification success (AUC = 0.800 and 0.883, respectively for the normalized P1 amplitude and the SVM-based biomarker). In the most conservative scenario involving classification of CC from DC individuals in a group of only cataract-reversal individuals, excluding typically sighted controls, the SVM-based biomarker was found to be superior to the mean P1 amplitude based biomarker (AUC = 0.852 compared to 0.757 for the mean P1 based biomarker in validation). Minimum specificity obtained was 80% across all biomarkers. INTERPRETATION A persistent reduction of the P1 wave provides a highly specific method for classifying cataract patients post-surgically as having suffered from bilateral congenital vs. bilateral developmental cataracts. We suggest that using the P1 based non-invasive electrophysiological biomarker will augment existing clinical classification criteria for individuals with a history of bilateral congenital cataracts, aiding clinical and basic research, recovery prognosis, and rehabilitation efforts. FUNDING German Research Foundation (DFG) and the European Research Council (ERC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suddha Sourav
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - Davide Bottari
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Idris Shareef
- Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, Child Sight Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, Child Sight Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Zerr P, Ossandón JP, Shareef I, Van der Stigchel S, Kekunnaya R, Röder B. Successful visually guided eye movements following sight restoration after congenital cataracts. J Vis 2020; 20:3. [PMID: 38755792 PMCID: PMC7424140 DOI: 10.1167/jov.20.7.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive periods have previously been identified for several human visual system functions. Yet, it is unknown to what degree the development of visually guided oculomotor control depends on early visual experience-for example, whether and to what degree humans whose sight was restored after a transient period of congenital visual deprivation are able to conduct visually guided eye movements. In the present study, we developed new calibration and analysis techniques for eye tracking data contaminated with pervasive nystagmus, which is typical for this population. We investigated visually guided eye movements in sight recovery individuals with long periods of visual pattern deprivation (3-36 years) following birth due to congenital, dense, total, bilateral cataracts. As controls we assessed (1) individuals with nystagmus due to causes other than cataracts, (2) individuals with developmental cataracts after cataract removal, and (3) individuals with normal vision. Congenital cataract reversal individuals were able to perform visually guided gaze shifts, even when their blindness had lasted for decades. The typical extensive nystagmus of this group distorted eye movement trajectories, but measures of latency and accuracy were as expected from their prevailing nystagmus-that is, not worse than in the nystagmus control group. To the best of our knowledge, the present quantitative study is the first to investigate the characteristics of oculomotor control in congenital cataract reversal individuals, and it indicates a remarkable effectiveness of visually guided eye movements despite long-lasting periods of visual deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Zerr
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - José Pablo Ossandón
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Idris Shareef
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany
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Federici A, Parma V, Vicovaro M, Radassao L, Casartelli L, Ronconi L. Anomalous Perception of Biological Motion in Autism: A Conceptual Review and Meta-Analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4576. [PMID: 32165647 PMCID: PMC7067769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61252-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its popularity, the construct of biological motion (BM) and its putative anomalies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not completely clarified. In this article, we present a meta-analysis investigating the putative anomalies of BM perception in ASD. Through a systematic literature search, we found 30 studies that investigated BM perception in both ASD and typical developing peers by using point-light display stimuli. A general meta-analysis including all these studies showed a moderate deficit of individuals with ASD in BM processing, but also a high heterogeneity. This heterogeneity was explored in different additional meta-analyses where studies were grouped according to levels of complexity of the BM task employed (first-order, direct and instrumental), and according to the manipulation of low-level perceptual features (spatial vs. temporal) of the control stimuli. Results suggest that the most severe deficit in ASD is evident when perception of BM is serving a secondary purpose (e.g., inferring intentionality/action/emotion) and, interestingly, that temporal dynamics of stimuli are an important factor in determining BM processing anomalies in ASD. Our results question the traditional understanding of BM anomalies in ASD as a monolithic deficit and suggest a paradigm shift that deconstructs BM into distinct levels of processing and specific spatio-temporal subcomponents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Federici
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- MoMiLab Research Unit, IMT School of Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Valentina Parma
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michele Vicovaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Luca Radassao
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Casartelli
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
| | - Luca Ronconi
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Theoretical and Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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Ricciardi E, Bottari D, Ptito M, Röder B, Pietrini P. The sensory-deprived brain as a unique tool to understand brain development and function. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:78-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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21
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Pitchaimuthu K, Sourav S, Bottari D, Banerjee S, Shareef I, Kekunnaya R, Röder B. Color vision in sight recovery individuals. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2019; 37:583-590. [DOI: 10.3233/rnn-190928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kabilan Pitchaimuthu
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Suddha Sourav
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Davide Bottari
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- The Molecular Mind Laboratory, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy
| | - Seema Banerjee
- School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Idris Shareef
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Child Sight Institute, Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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McKyton A, Ben-Zion I, Zohary E. Lack of Automatic Imitation in Newly Sighted Individuals. Psychol Sci 2017; 29:304-310. [PMID: 29231786 DOI: 10.1177/0956797617731755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Viewing a hand action performed by another person facilitates a response-compatible action and slows a response-incompatible one, even when the viewed action is irrelevant to the task. This automatic imitation effect is taken as the clearest evidence for a direct mapping between action viewing and motor performance. But there is an ongoing debate whether this effect is innate or experience dependent. We tackled this issue by studying a unique group of newly sighted children who suffered from dense bilateral cataracts from early infancy and were surgically treated only years later. The newly sighted children were less affected by viewing task-irrelevant actions than were control children, even 2 years after the cataract-removal surgery. This strongly suggests that visually guided motor experience is necessary for the development of automatic imitation. At the very least, our results indicate that if imitation is based on innate mechanisms, these are clearly susceptible to long periods of visual deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet McKyton
- 1 The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.,2 Neurobiology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
| | - Itay Ben-Zion
- 3 The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Israel.,4 Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
| | - Ehud Zohary
- 1 The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.,2 Neurobiology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Plasticity Beyond V1: Reinforcement of Motion Perception upon Binocular Central Retinal Lesions in Adulthood. J Neurosci 2017; 37:8989-8999. [PMID: 28821647 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1231-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Induction of a central retinal lesion in both eyes of adult mammals is a model for macular degeneration and leads to retinotopic map reorganization in the primary visual cortex (V1). Here we characterized the spatiotemporal dynamics of molecular activity levels in the central and peripheral representation of five higher-order visual areas, V2/18, V3/19, V4/21a,V5/PMLS, area 7, and V1/17, in adult cats with central 10° retinal lesions (both sexes), by means of real-time PCR for the neuronal activity reporter gene zif268. The lesions elicited a similar, permanent reduction in activity in the center of the lesion projection zone of area V1/17, V2/18, V3/19, and V4/21a, but not in the motion-driven V5/PMLS, which instead displayed an increase in molecular activity at 3 months postlesion, independent of visual field coordinates. Also area 7 only displayed decreased activity in its LPZ in the first weeks postlesion and increased activities in its periphery from 1 month onward. Therefore we examined the impact of central vision loss on motion perception using random dot kinematograms to test the capacity for form from motion detection based on direction and velocity cues. We revealed that the central retinal lesions either do not impair motion detection or even result in better performance, specifically when motion discrimination was based on velocity discrimination. In conclusion, we propose that central retinal damage leads to enhanced peripheral vision by sensitizing the visual system for motion processing relying on feedback from V5/PMLS and area 7.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Central retinal lesions, a model for macular degeneration, result in functional reorganization of the primary visual cortex. Examining the level of cortical reactivation with the molecular activity marker zif268 revealed reorganization in visual areas outside V1. Retinotopic lesion projection zones typically display an initial depression in zif268 expression, followed by partial recovery with postlesion time. Only the motion-sensitive area V5/PMLS shows no decrease, and even a significant activity increase at 3 months post-retinal lesion. Behavioral tests of motion perception found no impairment and even better sensitivity to higher random dot stimulus velocities. We demonstrate that the loss of central vision induces functional mobilization of motion-sensitive visual cortex, resulting in enhanced perception of moving stimuli.
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Ruffieux N, Ramon M, Lao J, Colombo F, Stacchi L, Borruat FX, Accolla E, Annoni JM, Caldara R. Residual perception of biological motion in cortical blindness. Neuropsychologia 2016; 93:301-311. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Bottari D, Troje NF, Ley P, Hense M, Kekunnaya R, Röder B. Sight restoration after congenital blindness does not reinstate alpha oscillatory activity in humans. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24683. [PMID: 27080158 PMCID: PMC4832338 DOI: 10.1038/srep24683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional brain development is characterized by sensitive periods during which experience must be available to allow for the full development of neural circuits and associated behavior. Yet, only few neural markers of sensitive period plasticity in humans are known. Here we employed electroencephalographic recordings in a unique sample of twelve humans who had been blind from birth and regained sight through cataract surgery between four months and 16 years of age. Two additional control groups were tested: a group of visually impaired individuals without a history of total congenital blindness and a group of typically sighted individuals. The EEG was recorded while participants performed a visual discrimination task involving intact and scrambled biological motion stimuli. Posterior alpha and theta oscillations were evaluated. The three groups showed indistinguishable behavioral performance and in all groups evoked theta activity varied with biological motion processing. By contrast, alpha oscillatory activity was significantly reduced only in individuals with a history of congenital cataracts. These data document on the one hand brain mechanisms of functional recovery (related to theta oscillations) and on the other hand, for the first time, a sensitive period for the development of alpha oscillatory activity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Bottari
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus F Troje
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, 62 Arch Street, K7L 3N6 Kingston, Ontario, Canada.,Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, 180 Dundas Street West, Suite 1400, M5G 1Z8 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pia Ley
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlene Hense
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ramesh Kekunnaya
- Jasti V Ramanamma Children's Eye Care Center, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, L V Prasad Marg, Banjara Hills, 500 034 Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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