Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Dissociations in coherence sensitivity reveal atypical development of cortical visual processing in congenital achromatopsia

Burton, E.; Wattam-Bell, J.; Rubin, G.S.; Aboshiha, J.; Michaelides, M.; Atkinson, J.; Braddick, O.; Nardini, M.

Dissociations in coherence sensitivity reveal atypical development of cortical visual processing in congenital achromatopsia Thumbnail


Authors

E. Burton

J. Wattam-Bell

G.S. Rubin

J. Aboshiha

M. Michaelides

J. Atkinson

O. Braddick



Abstract

Purpose: While basic visual functions have been described in subjects with congenital achromatopsia (ACHM), little is known about their mid- or high-level cortical visual processing. We compared midlevel cortical visual processing in ACHM subjects (n = 11) and controls (n = 20). Methods: Abilities to detect global form, global motion, and biological motion embedded in noise were tested across a range of light levels, including scotopic, in which both ACHM subjects and controls must rely on rods. Contrast sensitivity functions (CSFs) were also measured. Results: Achromatopsia subjects showed differential impairments across tests. In scotopic conditions, global form was most impaired, while biological motion was normal. In a subset of three ACHM subjects with normal scotopic CSFs, two of the three showed global form perception worse than controls; all showed global motion comparable to controls; and strikingly, two of the three showed biological motion perception superior to controls. Conclusions: The cone signal appears to play a crucial role in the development of perception of global form, as in ACHM this is impaired even in scotopic conditions, in which controls also have to rely on rods, and even in ACHM subjects with no scotopic spatial vision loss. In contrast, the rod signal appears sufficient for the development of normal (or even superior) extrastriate biological motion perception. These results suggest that ACHM leads to atypical development of cortical vision, highlighting the need to better understand the potential for further reorganization of cortical visual processing following new therapies aimed at restoring cone function.

Citation

Burton, E., Wattam-Bell, J., Rubin, G., Aboshiha, J., Michaelides, M., Atkinson, J., …Nardini, M. (2016). Dissociations in coherence sensitivity reveal atypical development of cortical visual processing in congenital achromatopsia. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 57(4), 2251-2259. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-18414

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 27, 2016
Online Publication Date Apr 1, 2016
Publication Date Apr 1, 2016
Deposit Date Feb 27, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
Print ISSN 0146-0404
Electronic ISSN 1552-5783
Publisher Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 57
Issue 4
Pages 2251-2259
DOI https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-18414

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations