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Science 25 May 1973:
Vol. 180. no. 4088, pp. 876 - 878
DOI: 10.1126/science.180.4088.876
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Articles

Electrophysiological Evidence that Abnormal Early Visual Experience Can Modify the Human Brain

Ralph D. Freeman 1 and Larry N. Thibos 1

1 School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley 94720

Visual resolution in humans is nearly equal for vertically and horizontally oriented detail, but for some subjects there is a substantial difference in resolving power for these orientations. Although subjects who exhibit this difference invariably have ocular astigmatism, optical explanations of the effect can be ruled out. Direct evidence has been found for an electrophysiological correlate to the psychophysical finding. Subjects who have reduced resolution for a pattern of a particular orientation also show a decreased evoked potential response elicited by a target of the same orientation. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that a deficiency of specific features in the early visual input can alter the organization of the visual pathways.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Visually Evoked Response: Binocular Facilitation and Failure When Binocular Vision Is Disturbed.
R. Srebro (1978)
Arch Ophthalmol 96, 839-844
   Abstract »    PDF »
Orientational anisotropy in infant vision.
S. Leehey, A Moskowitz-Cook, S Brill, and R Held (1975)
Science 190, 900-902
   Abstract »    PDF »
Neural Basis of Orientation Perception in Primate Vision.
R. J. W. Mansfield (1974)
Science 186, 1133-1135
   Abstract »    PDF »


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