Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Eye closure in darkness animates sensory systems.

Esther Marx1, Thomas Stephan, Annina Nolte

  • 1Center for Sensorimotor Research, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 81377 Munich, Germany. emarx@nefo.med.uni-muenchen.de

Neuroimage
|July 26, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Brain imaging reveals distinct brain activity patterns when eyes are open versus closed in darkness. Eyes-open states engage attention and ocular motor systems, while eyes-closed states activate sensory and imaginative networks, suggesting different mental states.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Brain activity during acquisition of long visuospatial sequences.

Frontiers in cognition·2026
Same author

[Chronic vestibular syndromes: Correct diagnosis and treatment].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2026
Same author

Superior oblique myokymia: diagnostic criteria and long-term outcome.

Journal of neurology·2026
Same author

Multimodal MRI of the reorganization of multisensory and sensorimotor networks in chronic bilateral vestibulopathy.

NeuroImage·2026
Same author

[Imaging diagnostics for neurodegenerative dementias - current clinical reality and important new developments].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2026
Same author

The Differential Diagnosis of Diplopia.

Deutsches Arzteblatt international·2026

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Background:

  • Understanding brain states is crucial for interpreting neuroimaging studies.
  • Distinct patterns of brain activation are expected between eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.
  • The impact of baseline conditions on fMRI results requires careful consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare brain activation patterns in eyes-open and eyes-closed states using fMRI.
  • To identify the specific neural systems engaged in each state.
  • To characterize the distinct mental states associated with ocular conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was employed.
  • Analyses were conducted on both single-subject and group levels (n=12).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants were studied in complete darkness under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.

    • Main Results:

    • Significant and consistent differences in brain activation were observed between eyes-open and eyes-closed states.
    • Eyes-open state (in darkness) activated ocular motor and attentional systems.
    • Eyes-closed state (in darkness) activated visual, somatosensory, vestibular, and auditory systems.

    Conclusions:

    • Two distinct mental states were identified: an 'exteroceptive' state (eyes-open) and an 'interoceptive' state (eyes-closed).
    • The eyes-open state is characterized by attention and ocular motor activity.
    • The eyes-closed state is characterized by imagination and multisensory processing.
    • The choice of baseline condition significantly influences fMRI activation patterns and study interpretation.