Visual experience and the establishment of tactile face-maps in the brain A Pasqualotto1, M J Proulx1, M I Sereno2 |
|---|
1Department of Psychology, University of Bath, United Kingdom |
| Previous research showed that the parietal brain area called VIP responds to tactile stimuli delivered to the face. These neural responses are spatially organised according to the stimulated part of the face, thus representing a sort of tactile map of the face. We investigated whether the presence of this map is genetically driven, or whether it is environmentally driven. In particular, we investigated the role played by visual experience. We tested congenitally blind, thus without visual experience, and late blind participants, and found that only late blind individuals, who possess visual experience, showed VIP activation of tactile stimulation of the face. These results suggest that the establishment of tactile face-maps is visually driven, and suggest a role of visual experience on brain development. |
| Up Home |
|---|