title: Specificity and generalization of perceptual learning in low myopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we investigated in observers with low myopia: (i) the pattern of lateral interactions between stimuli activating early cortical analyzers and its modulation by perceptual learning (PL), and (ii) whether PL transferred to untrained stimuli and tasks and whether it exhibits interocular transfer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (seven adults with low myopia) performed 12 training sessions. Participants were trained on a contrast detection task of a central Gabor target flanked by two co-oriented and co-aligned high contrast Gabor patches. Target-to-flankers separation along the vertical axis was varied from 2 wavelengths (λ) to 8λ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that before PL facilitatory lateral interactions in the myopic eye were reduced in strength, but PL increased contrast sensitivity and improved facilitatory lateral interactions. However, PL did not transfer to different local/global orientations and lower spatial frequencies. On the other hand, PL resulted in an enhancement of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) and of the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) both in the trained and untrained eye.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Such improvements seem to be associated to a modulation of lateral interactions between target and flankers and it is likely to take place at a level in which the inputs from the two eyes converge.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casco
authors.affiliation: Neuro.Vis.U.S.Laboratory, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guzzon
authors.affiliation: Neuro.Vis.U.S.Laboratory, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moise
authors.affiliation: Neuro.Vis.U.S.Laboratory, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchies
authors.affiliation: Neuro.Vis.U.S.Laboratory, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005793:Generalization, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Low myopia; contrast sensitivity; lateral interactions; perceptual learning; visual acuity