Training-induced recovery of fMRI-based motion adaptation signals in V1 damaged humans

Abstract

Visual perceptual training recovers coarse global motion discrimination in the blind field of cortically blind (CB) subjects (1,2), though brain areas and mechanisms supporting this recovery remain unclear. In 9 stroke patients with >3 months of visual training, we measured global-motion-evoked fMRI BOLD signals at: 1) trained blind field, 2) untrained blind field, and 3) intact field locations. During MRI, subjects were adapted to global motion and tested in the adapted direction and 180? opposite. Stimuli presented in the intact field elicited strong adaptation in low level visual areas and hMT+. Stimuli presented at untrained blind field locations elicited no significant signal in any visual areas. Stimuli presented at trained blind field locations generated responses in lower level visual cortex and hMT+, with clear but weak adaptation in hMT+. Our data show training to restore direction selectivity in CB subjects, suggesting plasticity of neural circuits that generate adaptation in V1-damaged systems.

Meeting abstract presented at the 2016 OSA Fall Vision Meeting