Prism adaptation does not alter configural processing of faces

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Hemispatial neglect is a deficit in orienting to stimuli on one side of space, often following brain injury.
• Prism adaptation, a sensorimotor training, shows promise in treating neglect by recalibrating reaching movements.
• Previous research suggests prism adaptation may also impact non-lateralized spatial attention, potentially contributing to its therapeutic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pervasive effects of prism adaptation on visual perception.
• To examine whether prism adaptation influences configural face processing, a measure of global visual processing.
• To determine if improvements in non-lateralized spatial attention contribute to the therapeutic benefits of prism adaptation for neglect.

Main Methods:

• Participants underwent prism adaptation, involving reaching with prismatic lenses that shift the visual field.
• Sensorimotor adaptation was assessed via pointing aftereffects.
• Configural face processing was evaluated using a composite face task, measuring interference from irrelevant face parts before and after adaptation.

Main Results:

• Sensorimotor adaptation was confirmed by significant pointing aftereffects following prism exposure.
• Prism adaptation did not significantly alter the interference from irrelevant face halves in the composite face task.
• No significant changes were observed in the global processing of faces after prism adaptation.

Conclusions:

• The therapeutic effects of prism adaptation in neglect patients may be confined to dorsal stream processing, which is involved in sensorimotor control.
• Prism adaptation's impact on visual perception, specifically configural face processing, appears limited.
• These findings refine our understanding of prism adaptation's mechanisms and its specific applications in neurological rehabilitation.