What does Neural Plasticity Tell us about Role of Primary Visual Cortex (V1) in Visual Awareness?
Frontiers in Psychology January 20, 2011 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Plasticity Transcranial magnetic stimulation Consciousness Blindsight Visual awareness V1 Extrastriate |
| Key findings | Argues that V1 is not necessary for conscious visual perception in all circumstances, citing cases of conscious vision recovery after V1 lesions, hemianopic completion, and stimulation-induced percepts. Proposes that V1's critical role in visual awareness reflects its provision of most extrastriate visual input, rather than any unique functional property, since cat visual recovery involves restored extrastriate tuning rather than V1 emulation. |
Abstract
The complete loss of visual awareness resulting from a lesion to the primary visual cortex (V1) suggests that this region is indispensable for conscious visual perception. There are however a number cases of conscious perception in the absence of V1 which appear to challenge this conclusion. These include reports of patients with bilateral V1 lesions sustained at an early age whose conscious vision has spontaneously recovered, as well as stroke patients who have recovered some conscious vision with the help of rehabilitation programs. In addition, the phenomenon of hemianopic completion and percepts induced by brain stimulation suggest that V1 may not be necessary for conscious perception in all circumstances. Furthermore, that the visual abilities in the cat are associated with the recovery of normal extrastriate tuning properties rather than emulation of V1 functions suggests that there is nothing unique about the functional properties of this region in visual awareness. Rather, the dramatic effect of a V1 lesion on visual awareness may be due to its role in providing the majority of extrastriate visual input, the loss of which abolishes normal neural responsiveness throughout the visual cortex.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
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| A neurotrophic hypothesis of depression: role of synaptogenesis in the actions of NMDA receptor antagonists | 2012 | Review | |
| Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Review of preclinical and clinical studies | 2023 | Review | |
| Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation [In the Spotlight] | 2008 | Review | |
| Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics | 2021 | Review | |
| Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Distilling the neural correlates of consciousness Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews December 17, 2011
- What Brain Plasticity Reveals About the Nature of Consciousness: Commentary Frontiers in Psychology 2011
- A new low: Reassessing (and revising) the local recurrency theory of consciousness The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science September 22, 2023
- Learning to Be Conscious. Trends in Cognitive Sciences February 1, 2020