Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
10:05
A Large Lateral Craniotomy Procedure for Mesoscale Wide-field Optical Imaging of Brain Activity
Published on: May 7, 2017
13.0K
Extrastriate visual cortex reorganizes despite sequential bilateral occipital stroke: implications for vision
Amy Brodtmann1, Aina Puce2, David Darby1
1Behavioural Neuroscience, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|May 15, 2015
Summary
Mature primary visual cortex shows significant plasticity after stroke, reorganizing over time. This brain plasticity is linked to evolving visual field deficits and recovery mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
Background:
- Visual cortex reorganization following brain injury is debated.
- Sequential posterior circulation strokes provide a unique model to study this phenomenon.
Observation:
- Serial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to track brain changes in a patient with two strokes.
- A healthy control subject was used for comparison.
- The patient exhibited evolving visual cortical activation patterns after the first and second strokes.
Findings:
- Early visual cortex reorganization was observed within 8 days of the initial stroke.
- Significant reorganization progressed after the second stroke, involving peri-infarct sites and new extrastriate activation.
- These changes correlated with lesion location and neural connections.
Implications:
- Mature primary visual cortex demonstrates substantial plasticity and reorganization capacity.
- This reorganization is associated with the development of visual field deficits.
- Findings inform therapeutic strategies for visual recovery and compensation post-stroke.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
10.7K
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,...
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,...
10.7K
01:12Visual Agnosia
1.8K
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...
1.8K
01:24Vision
61.7K
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.
61.7K
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
9.3K
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....
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....
9.3K
01:28Lateralization
1.3K
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
1.3K
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
5.1K
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
5.1K