Adaptation of eye-movements to simulated hemianopia in reading and visual exploration: Transfer or specificity?

作者：Schuett Susanne^*; Kentridge Robert W; Zihl Josef; Heywood Charles A

来源：Neuropsychologia, 2009, 47(7): 1712-1720.

DOI：10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.02.010

• Hemianopia
• Simulation
• Eye-movements
• Adaptation
• Reading
• Visual exploration

Reading and visual exploration impairments in unilateral homonymous hemianopia are well-established clinical phenomena. Spontaneous adaptation of eye-movements to the visual field defect leads to improved reading and visual exploration performance. Yet, it is still unclear whether oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss is task-specific or whether there is a transfer of adaptation-related improvements between reading and visual exploration. We therefore simulated unilateral homonymous hemianopia in healthy participants and explored the specificity with which oculomotor adaptation to this pure visual-sensory dysfunction during uninstructed reading or visual exploration practice leads to improvements in both abilities. Our findings demonstrate that there is no transfer of adaptation-related changes of eye-movements and performance improvements between reading and visual exploration. Efficient oculomotor adaptation to visual field loss is highly specific and task-dependent.

• 出版日期2009-6