Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind: a systematic review

Katarina Ilic; Rita Bertani; Neda Lapteva; Panagis Drakatos; Alessio Delogu; Kausar Raheel; Matthew Soteriou; Carlotta Mutti; Joerg Steier; David W Carmichael; Peter J Goadsby; Adam Ockelford; Ivana Rosenzweig

doi:10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129

Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind: a systematic review

Katarina Ilic, Rita Bertani, Neda Lapteva, Panagis Drakatos, Alessio Delogu, Kausar Raheel, Matthew Soteriou, Carlotta Mutti, Joerg Steier, David W Carmichael, Peter J Goadsby, Adam Ockelford, Ivana Rosenzweig

Neuroimaging Department
Sleep and Brain Plasticity Centre
Health Psychology Section, Psychology Department, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.
1Department of Hepatology, Imperial College London, London, UK. 2Institute of Liver Studies at King's College School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London, UK. 3Institute of Human Health and Performance, University College London, London, UK. 4Department of Asthma Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK. 5Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Department Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
Department of Philosophy
4. Neurology Unit, Department of General Medicine, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy.
School of Basic and Medical Biosciences
Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine
Sleep Disorders Centre
Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals NHS Trust (Part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust), Sydney Street, London, UK.
School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences
NIHR–Wellcome Trust King's Clinical Research Facility
UNIVERSITY OF ROEHAMPTON

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1204129
Journal	Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
Volume	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129
Publication status	Published - 2023

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@article{c70d24eae9d04c91bee09fe6fe80d64a,

title = "Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind: a systematic review",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Katarina Ilic and Rita Bertani and Neda Lapteva and Panagis Drakatos and Alessio Delogu and Kausar Raheel and Matthew Soteriou and Carlotta Mutti and Joerg Steier and Carmichael, {David W} and Goadsby, {Peter J} and Adam Ockelford and Ivana Rosenzweig",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2023 Ilic, Bertani, Lapteva, Drakatos, Delogu, Raheel, Soteriou, Mutti, Steier, Carmichael, Goadsby, Ockelford and Rosenzweig.",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "1204129",

journal = "Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience",

issn = "1662-5145",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind

T2 - 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 W

AU - Goadsby, Peter J

AU - Ockelford, Adam

AU - Rosenzweig, Ivana

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.

U2 - 10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129

DO - 10.3389/fnint.2023.1204129

M3 - Review article

C2 - 37457556

SN - 1662-5145

VL - 17

SP - 1204129

JO - Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

JF - Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

ER -

Visuo-spatial imagery in dreams of congenitally and early blind: a systematic review

Abstract

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