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Related Concept Videos

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Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the...
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Developing cortex is functionally pluripotent: Evidence from blindness.

Elizabeth J Saccone1, Mengyu Tian2, Marina Bedny1

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
|February 23, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

In blind individuals, visual cortices integrate into higher cognitive networks, demonstrating functional plasticity constrained by innate architecture and early experience. This suggests brain development adapts based on connectivity and environmental input.

Keywords:
Brain developmentBrain functionCongenital blindnessDomain-specificityNeuroplasticitySensory loss

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • The developing cortex's function is shaped by innate architecture and early experiences.
  • Understanding cross-modal plasticity in blindness offers insights into cortical flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize evidence on visual cortex function in individuals born blind.
  • To determine if visual cortices have similar or different functions in blind versus sighted populations.
  • To propose a model for functional development constrained by connectivity and experience.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on visual cortex function in blindness.
  • Synthesis of evidence regarding cross-modal and metamodal plasticity.
  • Analysis of functional imaging studies in blind and sighted individuals.

Main Results:

  • Occipital cortices in blind individuals are active during auditory and tactile tasks.
  • Evidence supports both drastic repurposing (higher cognitive functions) and functional similarity (metamodal accounts) of visual networks in blindness.
  • Visual cortices in blindness are incorporated into higher-cognitive networks, receiving long-range input.

Conclusions:

  • Functional development of the cortex is constrained by innate anatomical connectivity and shaped by experience.
  • The 'connectivity-constrained experience-dependent' account explains how similar anatomical constraints yield different functional outcomes.
  • Infant cortical development is pluripotent, adapting to available sensory input within structural boundaries.