Training-induced recovery of low-level vision followed by mid-level perceptual improvements in developmental object and face agnosia

Lev, Maria; Gilaie-Dotan, Sharon; Gotthilf-Nezri, Dana; Yehezkel, Oren; Brooks, Joseph L.; Perry, Anat; Bentin, Shlomo; Bonneh, Yoram; Polat, Uri

Abstract

Long-term deprivation of normal visual inputs can cause perceptual impairments at various levels of visual function, from basic visual acuity deficits, through mid-level deficits such as contour integration and motion coherence, to high-level face and object agnosia. Yet it is unclear whether training during adulthood, at a post-developmental stage of the adult visual system, can overcome such developmental impairments. Here, we visually trained LG, a developmental object and face agnosic individual. Prior to training, at the age of 20, LG's basic and mid-level visual functions such as visual acuity, crowding effects, and contour integration were underdeveloped relative to normal adult vision, corresponding to or poorer than those of 5–6 year olds (Gilaie-Dotan, Perry, Bonneh, Malach & Bentin, 2009). Intensive visual training, based on lateral interactions, was applied for a period of 9 months. LG's directly trained but also untrained visual functions such as visual acuity, crowding, binocular stereopsis and also mid-level contour integration improved significantly and reached near-age-level performance, with long-term (over 4 years) persistence. Moreover, mid-level functions that were tested post-training were found to be normal in LG. Some possible subtle improvement was observed in LG's higher-order visual functions such as object recognition and part integration, while LG's face perception skills have not improved thus far. These results suggest that corrective training at a post-developmental stage, even in the adult visual system, can prove effective, and its enduring effects are the basis for a revival of a developmental cascade that can lead to reduced perceptual impairments.

Citation

Lev, M., Gilaie-Dotan, S., Gotthilf-Nezri, D., Yehezkel, O., Brooks, J. L., Perry, A., Bentin, S., Bonneh, Y., & Polat, U. (2015). Training-induced recovery of low-level vision followed by mid-level perceptual improvements in developmental object and face agnosia. Developmental Science, 18(1), 50 - 64. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12178

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 11, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Apr 4, 2014
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Journal: Developmental Science
• Print ISSN: 1363-755X
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-7687
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 50 - 64
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12178
• Keywords: cognitive neuroscience, developmental and educational psychology
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/409608
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12178