Brain plasticity: 'visual' acuity of blind persons via the tongue.
The 'visual' acuity of blind persons perceiving information through a newly developed human-machine interface, with an array of electrical stimulators on the tongue, has been quantified using a standard Ophthalmological test (Snellen Tumbling E). Acuity without training averaged 20/860. This doubled with 9 h of training. The interface may lead to practical devices for persons with sensory loss such as blindness, and offers a means of exploring late brain plasticity.
Sampaio
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Laboratoire d'Etudes des Systèmes Perceptifs et Emotionnels, University Louis Pasteur, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France. eliana.sampaio@psycho-ulp.u-strasbg.fr
Maris
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Bach-y-Rita
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D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014741:Video Recording; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*