When new discoveries challenge Nobel winning theories
Blind people's ability to navigate through a maze...
It is natural that all of the brain areas that are activated whenever we develop our visual awareness are considered visual areas. Even when we have to tackle spatial tasks and we use our eyes the regions of the brain that light up, scientists consider them as visual areas of the brain. There is a specific region of the brain called the V6 that plays a significant role in integrating eye movements and the signals from the retina. The V6 region of the brain is activated by stimuli that have to do with navigation even though those stimuli are static (like images of places). So it is logical to think that the V6 region is another visual region of the brain. This theory that the brain is separated by specific sensory inputs and that their development is critically linked with the early stages of life has been a Nobel award-winning theory.
But what happens when new information and results come to complete our understanding of the brain? This week in the newsletter we will see how a team from Reichman University in Israel showcased that blind people can navigate through a maze using sound after a period of training using the device. But before we learn more about the tests and the implications, if this is your first time reading this or if you are returning and want to receive notifications when a newsletter is out use the sexy button below to subscribe.
Now that you’ve done that… let’s enter that brain soup
Testing the brain
This study is another one in the growing literature of evidence that suggests that the brain might be task separated rather than sensor separated. For example, some years ago there was a nice article in The Conversation explaining how blind people can “see” shapes using sounds [cite], or blind people training in “echolocation” [cite]. So since we know that blind people can use sound to distinguish solid bodies, what is different with this new research?
In this research, the scientists performed two sets of experiments. In the first experiment, they had both sighted individuals and individuals that were blind since birth goes through a virtual maze. While they were going through the maze they used fMRI to see what was “lighting up” in their brains. The sighted people used both their eyes and auditory inputs from a device called EyeCane while blind people had only auditory input from the EyeCane. The Eye Cane is a Sensory substitution device that allows the user to scan the environment through hand movements mimicking movements of the eye and converting visual distance into auditory feedback (The further away an obstacle is the lower the frequency of the sound.
The blind people were tested twice once before and once after a training session with the EyeCane. Results showed that blind people showed an activated V6 region of the brain only after the short training session with the EyeCane. This shows that the brain has the potential to process visual tasks and properties if the right technologies and training are employed.
Support and other implications
This research has different implications for both the life of blind people but also for the way we understand the brain. First of all, the idea that the brain is divided by tasks, rather than senses helps us better understand how the brain works and is structured. Furthermore, with that information, the classical theory of specific periods in someone's life for the development of the senses is understood very differently. The fact that with little training on sensory substitution devices, adults can learn to activate specific regions of the brain shows that the classic theory needs to be revised. With the proper support and training people with seeing disabilities have the opportunity to have a more complete image of the world.
Other implications of this study come in the form of early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Having spatial difficulties is a common symptom in the early stages of the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Since navigation and spatial awareness relies on that V6 region of the brain (among others), people can use sensory substitution devices to train and enhance their abilities. In addition, the understanding of the brain and the mechanisms of development, scientists could identify some biomarkers that will be targeted for interventions to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Read more about the research in the article from Medical Xpress here.
Any more news?
People in academia are constantly coming up with new and exciting things so if you need more to quench your curiosity here are some more headlines.
Coastal Water Pollution Transfers to the Air in Sea Spray Aerosol and Reaches People on Land, by UC San Diego
London falcons ate fewer pigeons during lockdowns, by King's College London
Don’t Forget: How can algae generate electricity?
That’s all for this week! I hope that the rest of the week will be calm and rewarding. Did you like this newsletter? If you did you can subscribe to it at the top of the page and why not share it around using this sexy little button here
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Until next week… take care and be kind [=