TY - JOUR
T1 - Visuo-Spatial Imagery in Dreams of Congenitally and Early Blind: a Systematic Review
AU - Ilic, Katarina
AU - Bertani, Rita
AU - Lapteva, Neda
AU - Drakatos, Panagis
AU - Delogu, Alessio
AU - Raheel, Kausar
AU - Soteriou, Matthew
AU - Mutti, Carlotta
AU - Steier, Joerg
AU - Carmichael, David
AU - Goadsby, Peter
AU - Ockelford, Adam
AU - Rosenzweig, Ivana
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded in whole, or in part, by the Wellcome Trust (103952/Z/14/Z). For the purpose of open access, the author IR has applied a CC BY public copyright license to any author accepted manuscript version arising from this submission. This article represents independent research in part funded by the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Ilic, Bertani, Lapteva, Drakatos, Delogu, Raheel, Soteriou, Mutti, Steier, Carmichael, Goadsby, Ockelford and Rosenzweig.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: The presence of visual imagery in dreams of congenitally blind people has long been a matter of substantial controversy. We set to systematically review body of published work on the presence and nature of oneiric visuo-spatial impressions in congenitally and early blind subjects across different areas of research, from experimental psychology, functional neuroimaging, sensory substitution, and sleep research. Methods: Relevant studies were identified using the following databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO. Results: Studies using diverse imaging techniques and sensory substitution devices broadly suggest that the “blind” occipital cortex may be able to integrate non-visual sensory inputs, and thus possibly also generate visuo-spatial impressions. Visual impressions have also been reported by blind subjects who had near-death or out-of-body experiences. Conclusion: Deciphering the mechanistic nature of these visual impression could open new possibility in utilization of neuroplasticity and its potential role for treatment of neurodisability.
AB - Background: The presence of visual imagery in dreams of congenitally blind people has long been a matter of substantial controversy. We set to systematically review body of published work on the presence and nature of oneiric visuo-spatial impressions in congenitally and early blind subjects across different areas of research, from experimental psychology, functional neuroimaging, sensory substitution, and sleep research. Methods: Relevant studies were identified using the following databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO. Results: Studies using diverse imaging techniques and sensory substitution devices broadly suggest that the “blind” occipital cortex may be able to integrate non-visual sensory inputs, and thus possibly also generate visuo-spatial impressions. Visual impressions have also been reported by blind subjects who had near-death or out-of-body experiences. Conclusion: Deciphering the mechanistic nature of these visual impression could open new possibility in utilization of neuroplasticity and its potential role for treatment of neurodisability.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165010021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129
DO - DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129
M3 - Review article
SN - 1662-5145
VL - 17
JO - Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
JF - Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
M1 - 1204129
ER -