1
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Faust TE, Devlin BA, Farhy-Tselnicker I, Ferro A, Postolache M, Xin W. Glial Control of Cortical Neuronal Circuit Maturation and Plasticity. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1208242024. [PMID: 39358028 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1208-24.2024] [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: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The brain is a highly adaptable organ that is molded by experience throughout life. Although the field of neuroscience has historically focused on intrinsic neuronal mechanisms of plasticity, there is growing evidence that multiple glial populations regulate the timing and extent of neuronal plasticity, particularly over the course of development. This review highlights recent discoveries on the role of glial cells in the establishment of cortical circuits and the regulation of experience-dependent neuronal plasticity during critical periods of neurodevelopment. These studies provide strong evidence that neuronal circuit maturation and plasticity are non-cell autonomous processes that require both glial-neuronal and glial-glial cross talk to proceed. We conclude by discussing open questions that will continue to guide research in this nascent field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis E Faust
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Benjamin A Devlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708
| | | | - Austin Ferro
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724
| | - Maggie Postolache
- Brain Immunology & Glia Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Wendy Xin
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
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2
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Snir A, Cieśla K, Vekslar R, Amedi A. Highly compromised auditory spatial perception in aided congenitally hearing-impaired and rapid improvement with tactile technology. iScience 2024; 27:110808. [PMID: 39290844 PMCID: PMC11407022 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110808] [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] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Spatial understanding is a multisensory construct while hearing is the only natural sense enabling the simultaneous perception of the entire 3D space. To test whether such spatial understanding is dependent on auditory experience, we study congenitally hearing-impaired users of assistive devices. We apply an in-house technology, which, inspired by the auditory system, performs intensity-weighting to represent external spatial positions and motion on the fingertips. We see highly impaired auditory spatial capabilities for tracking moving sources, which based on the "critical periods" theory emphasizes the role of nature in sensory development. Meanwhile, for tactile and audio-tactile spatial motion perception, the hearing-impaired show performance similar to typically hearing individuals. The immediate availability of 360° external space representation through touch, despite the lack of such experience during the lifetime, points to the significant role of nurture in spatial perception development, and to its amodal character. The findings show promise toward advancing multisensory solutions for rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Snir
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8 Herzliya 461010, Israel
| | - Katarzyna Cieśla
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8 Herzliya 461010, Israel
- World Hearing Centre, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Mokra 17, 05-830 Kajetany, Nadarzyn, Poland
| | - Rotem Vekslar
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8 Herzliya 461010, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8 Herzliya 461010, Israel
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3
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Snir A, Cieśla K, Ozdemir G, Vekslar R, Amedi A. Localizing 3D motion through the fingertips: Following in the footsteps of elephants. iScience 2024; 27:109820. [PMID: 38799571 PMCID: PMC11126990 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109820] [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] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Each sense serves a different specific function in spatial perception, and they all form a joint multisensory spatial representation. For instance, hearing enables localization in the entire 3D external space, while touch traditionally only allows localization of objects on the body (i.e., within the peripersonal space alone). We use an in-house touch-motion algorithm (TMA) to evaluate individuals' capability to understand externalized 3D information through touch, a skill that was not acquired during an individual's development or in evolution. Four experiments demonstrate quick learning and high accuracy in localization of motion using vibrotactile inputs on fingertips and successful audio-tactile integration in background noise. Subjective responses in some participants imply spatial experiences through visualization and perception of tactile "moving" sources beyond reach. We discuss our findings with respect to developing new skills in an adult brain, including combining a newly acquired "sense" with an existing one and computation-based brain organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Snir
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8, Herzliya 461010, Israel
| | - Katarzyna Cieśla
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8, Herzliya 461010, Israel
- World Hearing Centre, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Mokra 17, 05-830 Kajetany, Nadarzyn, Poland
| | - Gizem Ozdemir
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8, Herzliya 461010, Israel
| | - Rotem Vekslar
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8, Herzliya 461010, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, HaUniversita 8, Herzliya 461010, Israel
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4
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Lettieri G, Handjaras G, Cappello EM, Setti F, Bottari D, Bruno V, Diano M, Leo A, Tinti C, Garbarini F, Pietrini P, Ricciardi E, Cecchetti L. Dissecting abstract, modality-specific and experience-dependent coding of affect in the human brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk6840. [PMID: 38457501 PMCID: PMC10923499 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk6840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Emotion and perception are tightly intertwined, as affective experiences often arise from the appraisal of sensory information. Nonetheless, whether the brain encodes emotional instances using a sensory-specific code or in a more abstract manner is unclear. Here, we answer this question by measuring the association between emotion ratings collected during a unisensory or multisensory presentation of a full-length movie and brain activity recorded in typically developed, congenitally blind and congenitally deaf participants. Emotional instances are encoded in a vast network encompassing sensory, prefrontal, and temporal cortices. Within this network, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex stores a categorical representation of emotion independent of modality and previous sensory experience, and the posterior superior temporal cortex maps the valence dimension using an abstract code. Sensory experience more than modality affects how the brain organizes emotional information outside supramodal regions, suggesting the existence of a scaffold for the representation of emotional states where sensory inputs during development shape its functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Lettieri
- Crossmodal Perception and Plasticity Laboratory, Institute of Research in Psychology & Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Giacomo Handjaras
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Elisa M. Cappello
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Francesca Setti
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Davide Bottari
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
- Sensory Experience Dependent Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Diano
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Leo
- Department of of Translational Research and Advanced Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Tinti
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Pietrini
- Forensic Neuroscience and Psychiatry Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Emiliano Ricciardi
- Sensorimotor Experiences and Mental Representations Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
- Sensory Experience Dependent Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Luca Cecchetti
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
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5
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Alemi R, Wolfe J, Neumann S, Manning J, Towler W, Koirala N, Gracco VL, Deroche M. Audiovisual integration in children with cochlear implants revealed through EEG and fNIRS. Brain Res Bull 2023; 205:110817. [PMID: 37989460 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Sensory deprivation can offset the balance of audio versus visual information in multimodal processing. Such a phenomenon could persist for children born deaf, even after they receive cochlear implants (CIs), and could potentially explain why one modality is given priority over the other. Here, we recorded cortical responses to a single speaker uttering two syllables, presented in audio-only (A), visual-only (V), and audio-visual (AV) modes. Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were successively recorded in seventy-five school-aged children. Twenty-five were children with normal hearing (NH) and fifty wore CIs, among whom 26 had relatively high language abilities (HL) comparable to those of NH children, while 24 others had low language abilities (LL). In EEG data, visual-evoked potentials were captured in occipital regions, in response to V and AV stimuli, and they were accentuated in the HL group compared to the LL group (the NH group being intermediate). Close to the vertex, auditory-evoked potentials were captured in response to A and AV stimuli and reflected a differential treatment of the two syllables but only in the NH group. None of the EEG metrics revealed any interaction between group and modality. In fNIRS data, each modality induced a corresponding activity in visual or auditory regions, but no group difference was observed in A, V, or AV stimulation. The present study did not reveal any sign of abnormal AV integration in children with CI. An efficient multimodal integrative network (at least for rudimentary speech materials) is clearly not a sufficient condition to exhibit good language and literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razieh Alemi
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Jace Wolfe
- Oberkotter Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Sara Neumann
- Hearts for Hearing Foundation, 11500 Portland Av., Oklahoma City, OK 73120, USA
| | - Jacy Manning
- Hearts for Hearing Foundation, 11500 Portland Av., Oklahoma City, OK 73120, USA
| | - Will Towler
- Hearts for Hearing Foundation, 11500 Portland Av., Oklahoma City, OK 73120, USA
| | - Nabin Koirala
- Haskins Laboratories, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | | | - Mickael Deroche
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
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6
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Bruns P, Röder B. Development and experience-dependence of multisensory spatial processing. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:961-973. [PMID: 37208286 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Multisensory spatial processes are fundamental for efficient interaction with the world. They include not only the integration of spatial cues across sensory modalities, but also the adjustment or recalibration of spatial representations to changing cue reliabilities, crossmodal correspondences, and causal structures. Yet how multisensory spatial functions emerge during ontogeny is poorly understood. New results suggest that temporal synchrony and enhanced multisensory associative learning capabilities first guide causal inference and initiate early coarse multisensory integration capabilities. These multisensory percepts are crucial for the alignment of spatial maps across sensory systems, and are used to derive more stable biases for adult crossmodal recalibration. The refinement of multisensory spatial integration with increasing age is further promoted by the inclusion of higher-order knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Bruns
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Brigitte Röder
- Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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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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8
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Kunnath AJ, Gifford RH, Wallace MT. Cholinergic modulation of sensory perception and plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105323. [PMID: 37467908 PMCID: PMC10424559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems are highly plastic, but the mechanisms of sensory plasticity remain unclear. People with vision or hearing loss demonstrate significant neural network reorganization that promotes adaptive changes in other sensory modalities as well as in their ability to combine information across the different senses (i.e., multisensory integration. Furthermore, sensory network remodeling is necessary for sensory restoration after a period of sensory deprivation. Acetylcholine is a powerful regulator of sensory plasticity, and studies suggest that cholinergic medications may improve visual and auditory abilities by facilitating sensory network plasticity. There are currently no approved therapeutics for sensory loss that target neuroplasticity. This review explores the systems-level effects of cholinergic signaling on human visual and auditory perception, with a focus on functional performance, sensory disorders, and neural activity. Understanding the role of acetylcholine in sensory plasticity will be essential for developing targeted treatments for sensory restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansley J Kunnath
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - René H Gifford
- Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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9
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Yizhar O, Tal Z, Amedi A. Loss of action-related function and connectivity in the blind extrastriate body area. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:973525. [PMID: 36968509 PMCID: PMC10035577 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.973525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The Extrastriate Body Area (EBA) participates in the visual perception and motor actions of body parts. We recently showed that EBA’s perceptual function develops independently of visual experience, responding to stimuli with body-part information in a supramodal fashion. However, it is still unclear if the EBA similarly maintains its action-related function. Here, we used fMRI to study motor-evoked responses and connectivity patterns in the congenitally blind brain. We found that, unlike the case of perception, EBA does not develop an action-related response without visual experience. In addition, we show that congenital blindness alters EBA’s connectivity profile in a counterintuitive way—functional connectivity with sensorimotor cortices dramatically decreases, whereas connectivity with perception-related visual occipital cortices remains high. To the best of our knowledge, we show for the first time that action-related functions and connectivity in the visual cortex could be contingent on visuomotor experience. We further discuss the role of the EBA within the context of visuomotor control and predictive coding theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Yizhar
- Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Ivcher School of Psychology, The Institute for Brain, Mind and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- Research Group Adaptive Memory and Decision Making, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Or Yizhar,
| | - Zohar Tal
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Amir Amedi
- Ivcher School of Psychology, The Institute for Brain, Mind and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth & Meir Rosenthal Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
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10
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Setti F, Handjaras G, Bottari D, Leo A, Diano M, Bruno V, Tinti C, Cecchetti L, Garbarini F, Pietrini P, Ricciardi E. A modality-independent proto-organization of human multisensory areas. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:397-410. [PMID: 36646839 PMCID: PMC10038796 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01507-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The processing of multisensory information is based upon the capacity of brain regions, such as the superior temporal cortex, to combine information across modalities. However, it is still unclear whether the representation of coherent auditory and visual events requires any prior audiovisual experience to develop and function. Here we measured brain synchronization during the presentation of an audiovisual, audio-only or video-only version of the same narrative in distinct groups of sensory-deprived (congenitally blind and deaf) and typically developed individuals. Intersubject correlation analysis revealed that the superior temporal cortex was synchronized across auditory and visual conditions, even in sensory-deprived individuals who lack any audiovisual experience. This synchronization was primarily mediated by low-level perceptual features, and relied on a similar modality-independent topographical organization of slow temporal dynamics. The human superior temporal cortex is naturally endowed with a functional scaffolding to yield a common representation across multisensory events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Setti
- MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | | | - Davide Bottari
- MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Andrea Leo
- Department of Translational Research and Advanced Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Matteo Diano
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Valentina Bruno
- Manibus Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Carla Tinti
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Cecchetti
- MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Pietrini
- MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
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11
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Aggius-Vella E, Chebat DR, Maidenbaum S, Amedi A. Activation of human visual area V6 during egocentric navigation with and without visual experience. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1211-1219.e5. [PMID: 36863342 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.025] [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: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
V6 is a retinotopic area located in the dorsal visual stream that integrates eye movements with retinal and visuo-motor signals. Despite the known role of V6 in visual motion, it is unknown whether it is involved in navigation and how sensory experiences shape its functional properties. We explored the involvement of V6 in egocentric navigation in sighted and in congenitally blind (CB) participants navigating via an in-house distance-to-sound sensory substitution device (SSD), the EyeCane. We performed two fMRI experiments on two independent datasets. In the first experiment, CB and sighted participants navigated the same mazes. The sighted performed the mazes via vision, while the CB performed them via audition. The CB performed the mazes before and after a training session, using the EyeCane SSD. In the second experiment, a group of sighted participants performed a motor topography task. Our results show that right V6 (rhV6) is selectively involved in egocentric navigation independently of the sensory modality used. Indeed, after training, rhV6 of CB is selectively recruited for auditory navigation, similarly to rhV6 in the sighted. Moreover, we found activation for body movement in area V6, which can putatively contribute to its involvement in egocentric navigation. Taken together, our findings suggest that area rhV6 is a unique hub that transforms spatially relevant sensory information into an egocentric representation for navigation. While vision is clearly the dominant modality, rhV6 is in fact a supramodal area that can develop its selectivity for navigation in the absence of visual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Aggius-Vella
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition & Technology, Reichman University, 4610101 Herzliya, Israel.
| | - Daniel-Robert Chebat
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ariel University, 4076414 Ariel, Israel; Navigation and Accessibility Research Center of Ariel University (NARCA), Ariel University, 4076414 Ariel, Israel.
| | - Shachar Maidenbaum
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beersheba, Israel; Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beersheba, Israel.
| | - Amir Amedi
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition & Technology, Reichman University, 4610101 Herzliya, Israel.
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12
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Bang JW, Hamilton-Fletcher G, Chan KC. Visual Plasticity in Adulthood: Perspectives from Hebbian and Homeostatic Plasticity. Neuroscientist 2023; 29:117-138. [PMID: 34382456 PMCID: PMC9356772 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211037619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The visual system retains profound plastic potential in adulthood. In the current review, we summarize the evidence of preserved plasticity in the adult visual system during visual perceptual learning as well as both monocular and binocular visual deprivation. In each condition, we discuss how such evidence reflects two major cellular mechanisms of plasticity: Hebbian and homeostatic processes. We focus on how these two mechanisms work together to shape plasticity in the visual system. In addition, we discuss how these two mechanisms could be further revealed in future studies investigating cross-modal plasticity in the visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Won Bang
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giles Hamilton-Fletcher
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin C. Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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13
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Maimon A, Netzer O, Heimler B, Amedi A. Testing geometry and 3D perception in children following vision restoring cataract-removal surgery. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:962817. [PMID: 36711132 PMCID: PMC9879291 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.962817] [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: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
As neuroscience and rehabilitative techniques advance, age-old questions concerning the visual experience of those who gain sight after blindness, once thought to be philosophical alone, take center stage and become the target for scientific inquiries. In this study, we employ a battery of visual perception tasks to study the unique experience of a small group of children who have undergone vision-restoring cataract removal surgery as part of the Himalayan Cataract Project. We tested their abilities to perceive in three dimensions (3D) using a binocular rivalry task and the Brock string task, perceive visual illusions, use cross-modal mappings between touch and vision, and spatially group based on geometric cues. Some of the children in this study gained a sense of sight for the first time in their lives, having been born with bilateral congenital cataracts, while others suffered late-onset blindness in one eye alone. This study simultaneously supports yet raises further questions concerning Hubel and Wiesel's critical periods theory and provides additional insight into Molyneux's problem, the ability to correlate vision with touch quickly. We suggest that our findings present a relatively unexplored intermediate stage of 3D vision development. Importantly, we spotlight some essential geometrical perception visual abilities that strengthen the idea that spontaneous geometry intuitions arise independently from visual experience (and education), thus replicating and extending previous studies. We incorporate a new model, not previously explored, of testing children with congenital cataract removal surgeries who perform the task via vision. In contrast, previous work has explored these abilities in the congenitally blind via touch. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the development of what is commonly known as the visual system in the visually deprived and highlight the need to further empirically explore an amodal, task-based interpretation of specializations in the development and structure of the brain. Moreover, we propose a novel objective method, based on a simple binocular rivalry task and the Brock string task, for determining congenital (early) vs. late blindness where medical history and records are partial or lacking (e.g., as is often the case in cataract removal cases).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Maimon
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel,The Ruth & Meir Rosenthal Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel,*Correspondence: Amber Maimon,
| | - Ophir Netzer
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Benedetta Heimler
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation (CATR), Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel,The Ruth & Meir Rosenthal Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
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14
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Shvadron S, Snir A, Maimon A, Yizhar O, Harel S, Poradosu K, Amedi A. Shape detection beyond the visual field using a visual-to-auditory sensory augmentation device. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1058617. [PMID: 36936618 PMCID: PMC10017858 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1058617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current advancements in both technology and science allow us to manipulate our sensory modalities in new and unexpected ways. In the present study, we explore the potential of expanding what we perceive through our natural senses by utilizing a visual-to-auditory sensory substitution device (SSD), the EyeMusic, an algorithm that converts images to sound. The EyeMusic was initially developed to allow blind individuals to create a spatial representation of information arriving from a video feed at a slow sampling rate. In this study, we aimed to use the EyeMusic for the blind areas of sighted individuals. We use it in this initial proof-of-concept study to test the ability of sighted subjects to combine visual information with surrounding auditory sonification representing visual information. Participants in this study were tasked with recognizing and adequately placing the stimuli, using sound to represent the areas outside the standard human visual field. As such, the participants were asked to report shapes' identities as well as their spatial orientation (front/right/back/left), requiring combined visual (90° frontal) and auditory input (the remaining 270°) for the successful performance of the task (content in both vision and audition was presented in a sweeping clockwise motion around the participant). We found that participants were successful at a highly above chance level after a brief 1-h-long session of online training and one on-site training session of an average of 20 min. They could even draw a 2D representation of this image in some cases. Participants could also generalize, recognizing new shapes they were not explicitly trained on. Our findings provide an initial proof of concept indicating that sensory augmentation devices and techniques can potentially be used in combination with natural sensory information in order to expand the natural fields of sensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shira Shvadron
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- *Correspondence: Shira Shvadron,
| | - Adi Snir
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Amber Maimon
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Or Yizhar
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- Research Group Adaptive Memory and Decision Making, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck Dahlem Campus of Cognition (MPDCC), Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sapir Harel
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Keinan Poradosu
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, The Baruch Ivcher Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
- The Ruth and Meir Rosenthal, Brain Imaging Center, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel
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15
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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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16
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Korczyk M, Zimmermann M, Bola Ł, Szwed M. Superior visual rhythm discrimination in expert musicians is most likely not related to cross-modal recruitment of the auditory cortex. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1036669. [PMID: 36337485 PMCID: PMC9632485 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1036669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Training can influence behavioral performance and lead to brain reorganization. In particular, training in one modality, for example, auditory, can improve performance in another modality, for example, visual. Previous research suggests that one of the mechanisms behind this phenomenon could be the cross-modal recruitment of the sensory areas, for example, the auditory cortex. Studying expert musicians offers a chance to explore this process. Rhythm is an aspect of music that can be presented in various modalities. We designed an fMRI experiment in which professional pianists and non-musicians discriminated between two sequences of rhythms presented auditorily (series of sounds) or visually (series of flashes). Behavioral results showed that musicians performed in both visual and auditory rhythmic tasks better than non-musicians. We found no significant between-group differences in fMRI activations within the auditory cortex. However, we observed that musicians had increased activation in the right Inferior Parietal Lobe when compared to non-musicians. We conclude that the musicians’ superior visual rhythm discrimination is not related to cross-modal recruitment of the auditory cortex; instead, it could be related to activation in higher-level, multimodal areas in the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Łukasz Bola
- Intitute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Marcin Szwed
- Intitute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- *Correspondence: Marcin Szwed,
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17
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Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A. Face shape processing via visual-to-auditory sensory substitution activates regions within the face processing networks in the absence of visual experience. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:921321. [PMID: 36263367 PMCID: PMC9576157 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.921321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous evidence suggests that visual experience is crucial for the emergence and tuning of the typical neural system for face recognition. To challenge this conclusion, we trained congenitally blind adults to recognize faces via visual-to-auditory sensory-substitution (SDD). Our results showed a preference for trained faces over other SSD-conveyed visual categories in the fusiform gyrus and in other known face-responsive-regions of the deprived ventral visual stream. We also observed a parametric modulation in the same cortical regions, for face orientation (upright vs. inverted) and face novelty (trained vs. untrained). Our results strengthen the conclusion that there is a predisposition for sensory-independent and computation-specific processing in specific cortical regions that can be retained in life-long sensory deprivation, independently of previous perceptual experience. They also highlight that if the right training is provided, such cortical preference maintains its tuning to what were considered visual-specific face features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Arbel
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah University Hospital-Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel
- *Correspondence: Roni Arbel,
| | - Benedetta Heimler
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Ivcher School of Psychology, The Institute for Brain, Mind, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzeliya, Israel
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Ivcher School of Psychology, The Institute for Brain, Mind, and Technology, Reichman University, Herzeliya, Israel
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18
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Gori M, Bertonati G, Campus C, Amadeo MB. Multisensory representations of space and time in sensory cortices. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:656-667. [PMID: 36169038 PMCID: PMC9842891 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Clear evidence demonstrated a supramodal organization of sensory cortices with multisensory processing occurring even at early stages of information encoding. Within this context, early recruitment of sensory areas is necessary for the development of fine domain-specific (i.e., spatial or temporal) skills regardless of the sensory modality involved, with auditory areas playing a crucial role in temporal processing and visual areas in spatial processing. Given the domain-specificity and the multisensory nature of sensory areas, in this study, we hypothesized that preferential domains of representation (i.e., space and time) of visual and auditory cortices are also evident in the early processing of multisensory information. Thus, we measured the event-related potential (ERP) responses of 16 participants while performing multisensory spatial and temporal bisection tasks. Audiovisual stimuli occurred at three different spatial positions and time lags and participants had to evaluate whether the second stimulus was spatially (spatial bisection task) or temporally (temporal bisection task) farther from the first or third audiovisual stimulus. As predicted, the second audiovisual stimulus of both spatial and temporal bisection tasks elicited an early ERP response (time window 50-90 ms) in visual and auditory regions. However, this early ERP component was more substantial in the occipital areas during the spatial bisection task, and in the temporal regions during the temporal bisection task. Overall, these results confirmed the domain specificity of visual and auditory cortices and revealed that this aspect selectively modulates also the cortical activity in response to multisensory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Gori
- Unit for Visually Impaired People (U‐VIP)Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
| | - Giorgia Bertonati
- Unit for Visually Impaired People (U‐VIP)Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly,Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS)Università degli Studi di GenovaGenoaItaly
| | - Claudio Campus
- Unit for Visually Impaired People (U‐VIP)Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
| | - Maria Bianca Amadeo
- Unit for Visually Impaired People (U‐VIP)Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenoaItaly
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19
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Topologic Reorganization of White Matter Connectivity Networks in Early-Blind Adolescents. Neural Plast 2022; 2022:8034757. [PMID: 35529452 PMCID: PMC9072039 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8034757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Blindness studies are important models for the comprehension of human brain development and reorganization, after visual deprivation early in life. To investigate the global and local topologic alterations and to identify specific reorganized neural patterns in early-blind adolescents (EBAs), we applied diffusion tensor tractography and graph theory to establish and analyze the white matter connectivity networks in 21 EBAs and 22 age- and sex-matched normal-sighted controls (NSCs). The network profiles were compared between the groups using a linear regression model, and the associations between clinical variables and network profiles were analyzed. Graph theory analysis revealed “small-world” attributes in the structural connection networks of both EBA and NSC cohorts. The EBA cohort exhibited significant lower network density and global and local efficiency, as well as significantly elevated shortest path length, compared to the NSC group. The network efficiencies were markedly reduced in the EBA cohort, with the largest alterations in the default-mode, visual, and limbic areas. Moreover, decreased regional efficiency and increased nodal path length in some visual and default-mode areas were strongly associated with the period of blindness in EBA cohort, suggesting that the function of these areas would gradually weaken in the early-blind brains. Additionally, the differences in hub distribution between the two groups were mainly within the occipital and frontal areas, suggesting that neural reorganization occurred in these brain regions after early visual deprivation during adolescence. This study revealed that the EBA brain structural network undergoes both convergent and divergent topologic reorganizations to circumvent early visual deprivation. Our research will add to the growing knowledge of underlying neural mechanisms that govern brain reorganization and development, under conditions of early visual deprivation.
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20
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Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A. Congenitally blind adults can learn to identify face-shapes via auditory sensory substitution and successfully generalize some of the learned features. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4330. [PMID: 35288597 PMCID: PMC8921184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08187-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike sighted individuals, congenitally blind individuals have little to no experience with face shapes. Instead, they rely on non-shape cues, such as voices, to perform character identification. The extent to which face-shape perception can be learned in adulthood via a different sensory modality (i.e., not vision) remains poorly explored. We used a visual-to-auditory Sensory Substitution Device (SSD) that enables conversion of visual images to the auditory modality while preserving their visual characteristics. Expert SSD users were systematically taught to identify cartoon faces via audition. Following a tailored training program lasting ~ 12 h, congenitally blind participants successfully identified six trained faces with high accuracy. Furthermore, they effectively generalized their identification to the untrained, inverted orientation of the learned faces. Finally, after completing the extensive 12-h training program, participants learned six new faces within 2 additional hours of training, suggesting internalization of face-identification processes. Our results document for the first time that facial features can be processed through audition, even in the absence of visual experience across the lifespan. Overall, these findings have important implications for both non-visual object recognition and visual rehabilitation practices and prompt the study of the neural processes underlying auditory face perception in the absence of vision.
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21
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Benetti S, Collignon O. Cross-modal integration and plasticity in the superior temporal cortex. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2022; 187:127-143. [PMID: 35964967 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-823493-8.00026-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In congenitally deaf people, temporal regions typically believed to be primarily auditory enhance their response to nonauditory information. The neural mechanisms and functional principles underlying this phenomenon, as well as its impact on auditory recovery after sensory restoration, yet remain debated. In this chapter, we demonstrate that the cross-modal recruitment of temporal regions by visual inputs in congenitally deaf people follows organizational principles known to be present in the hearing brain. We propose that the functional and structural mechanisms allowing optimal convergence of multisensory information in the temporal cortex of hearing people also provide the neural scaffolding for feeding visual or tactile information into the deafened temporal areas. Innate in their nature, such anatomo-functional links between the auditory and other sensory systems would represent the common substrate of both early multisensory integration and expression of selective cross-modal plasticity in the superior temporal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Benetti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Olivier Collignon
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Trento, Italy; Institute for Research in Psychology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, UC Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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22
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Bartolomeo P. From competition to cooperation: Visual neglect across the hemispheres. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2021; 177:1104-1111. [PMID: 34561121 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Visuospatial neglect is a frequent and disabling consequence of injuries to the right hemisphere. Patients with neglect show signs of impaired attention for left-sided events, which depends on dysfunction of fronto-parietal networks. After unilateral injury, such as stroke, these networks and their contralateral homologs can reorganize following multiple potential trajectories, which can be either adaptive or maladaptive. This article presents possible factors influencing the profile of evolution of neglect towards recovery or chronicity, and highlights potential mechanisms that may constrain these processes in time and space. The integrity of white matter pathways within and between the hemisphere appears to pose crucial connectivity constraints for compensatory brain plasticity from remote brain regions. Specifically, the availability of a sufficient degree of inter-hemispheric connectivity might be critical to shift the role of the undamaged left hemisphere in spatial neglect, from exerting maladaptive effects, to promoting compensatory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Bartolomeo
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France.
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23
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Buchs G, Haimler B, Kerem M, Maidenbaum S, Braun L, Amedi A. A self-training program for sensory substitution devices. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250281. [PMID: 33905446 PMCID: PMC8078811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory Substitution Devices (SSDs) convey visual information through audition or touch, targeting blind and visually impaired individuals. One bottleneck towards adopting SSDs in everyday life by blind users, is the constant dependency on sighted instructors throughout the learning process. Here, we present a proof-of-concept for the efficacy of an online self-training program developed for learning the basics of the EyeMusic visual-to-auditory SSD tested on sighted blindfolded participants. Additionally, aiming to identify the best training strategy to be later re-adapted for the blind, we compared multisensory vs. unisensory as well as perceptual vs. descriptive feedback approaches. To these aims, sighted participants performed identical SSD-stimuli identification tests before and after ~75 minutes of self-training on the EyeMusic algorithm. Participants were divided into five groups, differing by the feedback delivered during training: auditory-descriptive, audio-visual textual description, audio-visual perceptual simultaneous and interleaved, and a control group which had no training. At baseline, before any EyeMusic training, participants SSD objects’ identification was significantly above chance, highlighting the algorithm’s intuitiveness. Furthermore, self-training led to a significant improvement in accuracy between pre- and post-training tests in each of the four feedback groups versus control, though no significant difference emerged among those groups. Nonetheless, significant correlations between individual post-training success rates and various learning measures acquired during training, suggest a trend for an advantage of multisensory vs. unisensory feedback strategies, while no trend emerged for perceptual vs. descriptive strategies. The success at baseline strengthens the conclusion that cross-modal correspondences facilitate learning, given SSD algorithms are based on such correspondences. Additionally, and crucially, the results highlight the feasibility of self-training for the first stages of SSD learning, and suggest that for these initial stages, unisensory training, easily implemented also for blind and visually impaired individuals, may suffice. Together, these findings will potentially boost the use of SSDs for rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galit Buchs
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
- Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Humanities, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- * E-mail: (AA); (GB)
| | - Benedetta Haimler
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation (CATR), The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Menachem Kerem
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
| | - Shachar Maidenbaum
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben Gurion University, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Liraz Braun
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amir Amedi
- The Baruch Ivcher Institute For Brain, Cognition & Technology, The Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzeliya, Israel
- * E-mail: (AA); (GB)
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24
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Ptito M, Bleau M, Djerourou I, Paré S, Schneider FC, Chebat DR. Brain-Machine Interfaces to Assist the Blind. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:638887. [PMID: 33633557 PMCID: PMC7901898 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.638887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss or absence of vision is probably one of the most incapacitating events that can befall a human being. The importance of vision for humans is also reflected in brain anatomy as approximately one third of the human brain is devoted to vision. It is therefore unsurprising that throughout history many attempts have been undertaken to develop devices aiming at substituting for a missing visual capacity. In this review, we present two concepts that have been prevalent over the last two decades. The first concept is sensory substitution, which refers to the use of another sensory modality to perform a task that is normally primarily sub-served by the lost sense. The second concept is cross-modal plasticity, which occurs when loss of input in one sensory modality leads to reorganization in brain representation of other sensory modalities. Both phenomena are training-dependent. We also briefly describe the history of blindness from ancient times to modernity, and then proceed to address the means that have been used to help blind individuals, with an emphasis on modern technologies, invasive (various type of surgical implants) and non-invasive devices. With the advent of brain imaging, it has become possible to peer into the neural substrates of sensory substitution and highlight the magnitude of the plastic processes that lead to a rewired brain. Finally, we will address the important question of the value and practicality of the available technologies and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Ptito
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maxime Bleau
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ismaël Djerourou
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel Paré
- École d’Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Fabien C. Schneider
- TAPE EA7423 University of Lyon-Saint Etienne, Saint Etienne, France
- Neuroradiology Unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Daniel-Robert Chebat
- Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (VCN Lab), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ariel University, Ariel, Israël
- Navigation and Accessibility Research Center of Ariel University (NARCA), Ariel, Israël
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25
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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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