Research

Cerebral vs. Ocular Visual Impairment: The Impact on Developmental Neuroplasticity

Research on cerebral visual impairment (CVI) and the potential educational implications

This article in Frontiers of Psychology (December 2016, Vol. 7) discusses the impact on developmental neuroplasticity in cerebral versus ocular visual impairment.

Authors Maria B. C. Martín, Alejandro Santos-Lozano, Juan Martín-Hernández, Alberto López-Miguel, Miguel Maldonado, Carlos Baladrón, Corinna M. Bauer and Lotfi B. Merabet propose that the variance between ocular and cerebral visual impairment “may be related to differences in compensatory neuroplasticity related to the type of visual impairment, as well as underlying alterations in brain structural connectivity. We discuss the etiology and nature of visual impairments related to CVI, and how advanced neuroimaging techniques (i.e. diffusion-based imaging) may help uncover differences between ocular and cerebral causes of visual dysfunction. Revealing these differences may help in developing future strategies for the education and rehabilitation of individuals living with visual impairment.”

The article includes the following sections:

  • The Nature of Visual Impairment and the Case of CVI
  • Epidemiology and Etiology of CVI
  • Compensatory Behaviors and Crossmodal Plasticity in the Setting of Visual Impairment
  • CVI: A Disorder of Brain Connectivity?

Read the full article.