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Visual Agnosia

Visual Agnosia

Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...

Vision

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

Altered functional connectivity of primary visual cortex in early blindness.

Chunshui Yu¹, Yong Liu, Jun Li

¹Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Human Brain Mapping

|May 26, 2007

Summary

Early blindness alters brain connectivity. The primary visual area (PVA) shows reduced functional connectivity with motor and sensory areas in individuals blind from an early age, impacting brain organization.

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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) of the Visual Cortex with Wide-View Retinotopic Stimulation

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Published on: December 8, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Neuroimaging
Sensory processing

Background:

Early blindness leads to the primary visual area (PVA) processing non-visual information.
Functional connectivity changes in the PVA due to early blindness are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate differences in PVA functional connectivity between early blind and sighted individuals.
To explore how early sensory deprivation affects brain network organization.

Main Methods:

Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were acquired from 16 early blind subjects and 32 healthy controls.
Functional connectivity was assessed by comparing correlation coefficients of the PVA with other brain regions.

Main Results:

Early blind subjects exhibited decreased functional connectivity between the left PVA and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), pre- and postcentral gyri, superior parietal lobule, and superior/middle temporal gyri.
A similar decrease in functional connectivity was observed between the right PVA and bilateral SMA and pre- and postcentral gyri in early blind individuals.

Conclusions:

Early visual deprivation significantly alters functional connectivity patterns originating from the primary visual area.
These findings highlight the brain's plasticity and the interconnectedness of sensory and cognitive networks.