What does neural plasticity tell us about role of primary visual cortex (V1) in visual awareness?
Loading...
Access rights
openAccess
URL
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
This publication is imported from Aalto University research portal.
View publication in the Research portal (opens in new window)
View/Open full text file from the Research portal (opens in new window)
Other link related to publication (opens in new window)
View publication in the Research portal (opens in new window)
View/Open full text file from the Research portal (opens in new window)
Other link related to publication (opens in new window)
Authors
Date
2011
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
1-5
Series
Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 2
Abstract
The complete loss of visual awareness resulting from a lesion to the primary visual cortex (V1) suggests that this region is indispensable for conscious visual perception. There are however a number cases of conscious perception in the absence of V1 which appear to challenge this conclusion. These include reports of patients with bilateral V1 lesions sustained at an early age whose conscious vision has spontaneously recovered, as well as stroke patients who have recovered some conscious vision with the help of rehabilitation programs. In addition, the phenomenon of hemianopic completion and percepts induced by brain stimulation suggest that V1 may not be necessary for conscious perception in all circumstances. Furthermore, that the visual abilities in the cat are associated with the recovery of normal extrastriate tuning properties rather than emulation of V1 functions suggests that there is nothing unique about the functional properties of this region in visual awareness. Rather, the dramatic effect of a V1 lesion on visual awareness may be due to its role in providing the majority of extrastriate visual input, the loss of which abolishes normal neural responsiveness throughout the visual cortex.Description
Keywords
Blindsight, Consciousness, Extrastriate, Plasticity, Transcranial magnetic stimulation, V1, Visual awareness
Other note
Citation
Silvanto, J & Rees, G 2011, ' What does neural plasticity tell us about role of primary visual cortex (V1) in visual awareness? ', Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 2, 6, pp. 1-5 . https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00006