Research article summary (published 18 Mar 2006):

Impact of vision on the development of topographical orientation abilities.

Full Abstract

The current experiment examined the importance of visual input on the construction of inner spatial representations. Early and late-onset blind and paired control participants performed a tactile spatial orientation task. No significant group differences were observed, indicating that the blind can represent space. More errors, however, were committed by the early blind than by the late blind and sighted individuals in portions of the task that involved mental rotation skills, suggesting a potential facilitating role for vision in the proper development of spatial constructs.

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Author information

Author/s: Fortin, Madeleine (M); Voss, Patrice (P); Rainville, Constant (C); Lassonde, Maryse (M); Lepore, Franco (F);

Affiliation: Research Center in Neuropsychology and Cognition (CERNEC), University of Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuroreport (Neuroreport), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Mar; vol 17 (issue 4) : pp 443-6

Dates: Created 2006/03/03; Completed 2006/05/22; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16514373, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Blindness - physiopathology Female Functional Laterality - physiology Humans Male Middle Aged

Neuronal Plasticity - physiology Neuropsychological Tests Orientation - physiology Photic Stimulation Space Perception - physiology Visual Cortex - growth & development Visual Pathways - growth & development

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