Elsevier

Vision Research

Volume 48, Issue 18, August 2008, Pages 1910-1919
Vision Research

Reorganization of visual processing in macular degeneration: Replication and clues about the role of foveal loss

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2008.05.020Get rights and content
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Abstract

We previously reported large-scale reorganization of visual processing (i.e., activation of “foveal” cortex by peripheral stimuli) in two individuals with loss of foveal input from macular degeneration [Baker, C.I., Peli, E., Knouf, N., & Kanwisher, N. G. (2005). Reorganization of visual processing in macular degeneration. Journal of Neuroscience, 25(3), 614–618]. Here, we replicate this result in three new individuals. Further, we test the hypothesis that this reorganization is dependent on complete loss of foveal input. In two other individuals with extensive retinal lesions but some foveal sparing we found no evidence for reorganization. We conclude that large-scale reorganization of visual processing in MD occurs only in the complete absence of functional foveal vision.

Keywords

V1
Cortical reorganization
fMRI
Cortical plasticity
Deprivation

Cited by (0)

Contribution statement: C.I.B., E.P. and N.K. designed the experiments. C.I.B. and D.D.D. collected and analyzed functional imaging data. E.P. selected MD participants and collected behavioral data. C.I.B. and D.D.D. wrote the paper, with contributions from E.P. and N.K.