Adaptation of eye-movements to simulated hemianopia in reading and visual exploration: Transfer or specificity?

Neuropsychologia. 2009 Jun;47(7):1712-20. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.010. Epub 2009 Feb 13.

Abstract

Reading and visual exploration impairments in unilateral homonymous hemianopia are well-established clinical phenomena. Spontaneous adaptation of eye-movements to the visual field defect leads to improved reading and visual exploration performance. Yet, it is still unclear whether oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss is task-specific or whether there is a transfer of adaptation-related improvements between reading and visual exploration. We therefore simulated unilateral homonymous hemianopia in healthy participants and explored the specificity with which oculomotor adaptation to this pure visual-sensory dysfunction during uninstructed reading or visual exploration practice leads to improvements in both abilities. Our findings demonstrate that there is no transfer of adaptation-related changes of eye-movements and performance improvements between reading and visual exploration. Efficient oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss is highly specific and task-dependent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological / physiology*
  • Adolescent
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Eye Movements / physiology*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Hemianopsia / physiopathology*
  • Hemianopsia / rehabilitation
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Practice, Psychological
  • Reading*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Transfer, Psychology / physiology*
  • Visual Fields / physiology
  • Visual Perception / physiology*
  • Young Adult