Researchers in Cell Reports study neuronal responses to bright and dark surfaces, finding that large bright surfaces activate both light-ON and light-OFF neurons, increasing the combined response with surface brightness and size. This challenges the long-standing assumption that only surface edges drive strong cortical responses.
A recent study has found that people who wear reusable contact lenses are nearly four times as likely to develop a rare sight-threatening eye infection. The study identified multiple factors that increase the risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis, including reusing lenses or wearing them overnight or in the shower.
A new study published in Frontiers in Medicine found that around 30% of people with long COVID experience a decreased sense of smell, with 29.9% reporting persistent anosmia after 12 weeks. Researchers also discovered an elevated prevalence of blurred vision and hearing-related symptoms after three months.
Visual acuity testing at home and in a clinical setting have been compared for their accuracy and feasibility. The study found that both methods produced similar results, but the home-based test was faster and more convenient.
Researchers discovered that face centering, not saliency, plays a key role in guiding attention to faces in videos as people age. The findings have implications for children's television programming and the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers at Cornell University found connections between the brain's olfactory pathway and visual cortex in dogs, showing that olfaction is integrated with vision in terms of learning about the environment. This study corroborates clinical experiences with blind dogs who function remarkably well despite their condition.
A new study has discovered the neuronal changes that occur during learning to improve discrimination of closely related visual images. Researchers found that experience-driven changes in neural activity enhance discriminations relevant to task performance at the expense of other related discriminations.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies involving 76,373 participants found a significant association between visual impairment and cognitive decline in older adults. The study highlights the need for further research on the effectiveness of treating sight problems to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia.
A new study reveals that dogs think about their toys by imagining different sensory features, such as the way they look or smell. Gifted Word Learner dogs were able to recall the name of a toy even in the dark, using a multisensory mental image.
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a dedicated neural pathway in the retina that can detect even the dimmest shadows possible. This breakthrough could lead to unprecedented resolution in probing visual diseases.
Researchers revived photoreceptor cells in human macula, responding to bright and dim lights. The study restores communication between retinal cells, transforming brain and vision research.
A new study by the University of South Australia found that up to a quarter of people aged over 50 with undiagnosed visual problems like cataracts or AMD are misdiagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Cognitive tests relying on vision-dependent tasks can skew results.
A new study found that half of older adults with both hearing and vision impairment have serious cognitive decline, compared to 28% with only vision impairment. The study highlights the importance of considering sensory impairments in identifying those at risk for cognitive decline.
Researchers found that fruit bats use echolocation during the day despite having excellent vision, suggesting a combination of both senses for enhanced navigation. This study highlights the importance of integrating different senses, like humans using visual and auditory information when crossing streets.
Researchers at State University of New York College of Optometry propose a general theory of cortical map formation that explains the diversity of visual maps in nature. The theory suggests that map diversity emerges from variations in thalamic afferent density sampling sensory space, leading to increased cortical areas and sorting of ...
A new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health found that improved eye health services are associated with moving closer to achieving seven SDGs. Multiple direct connections were discovered between eye health services and increased productivity, household expenditure, income, education, and equality.
Researchers found that archerfish can recognize unfamiliar insects as animals based on six essential features. The fish use these features, including shape and texture, to distinguish between animals and plants, similar to human face recognition strategies.
New research reveals mosquitoes use red and orange colors to detect hosts, influenced by their sense of smell. By filtering out these colors or wearing specific attire, individuals can potentially prevent mosquito bites, reducing the risk of diseases like dengue and Zika.
Researchers developed a VR-based archery game to understand how blind people move and orient themselves in space. The platform showed that congenital blind individuals rely on body cues rather than environmental sounds for reorientation.
Scientists have identified a crucial mechanism for Rhodopsin production in fruit flies, which may lead to a better understanding of retinitis pigmentosa and vision loss. The study reveals that the EMC protein complex is essential for the proper folding and insertion of Xport-A, a key chaperone of Rhodopsin.
Scientists found that seven genes associated with bright-light vision are absent in burrowing snakes, demonstrating extensive vision gene loss over millions of years. This challenges the hypothesis that all modern snakes evolved from extreme burrowers, suggesting a different evolutionary path for these subterranean snakes.
A study published in eLife found that rats exhibit efficient coding processes for visual stimuli, similar to those observed in humans. This suggests a universal principle in vision, where the brain adapts to its environment by specializing in the recognition of informative signals, thereby conserving computational resources and energy.
A study found that adults with sensory impairment experienced a decline in emotional well-being during the pandemic due to lack of social interactions. Researchers hope to develop hybrid solutions for remote access and clear communication.
A team of scientists successfully created a form of artificial vision for a blind woman using a prosthesis hardwired into her brain. The Moran|Cortivis Prosthesis enabled Gómez to identify lines, shapes, and simple letters evoked by different patterns of stimulation.
A novel computational platform called scAAVengr uses single-cell RNA sequencing to quickly evaluate viral vectors for delivering gene therapies to the retina with maximum efficiency and precision. This approach saves time and resources by identifying suitable candidates that can deliver therapy to affected parts of the retina accurately.
A new study published in Current Biology reveals that visually impaired babies primarily use touch to respond to stimuli, while sighted babies rely more on auditory cues. The research suggests that both senses will be crucial in designing tools to aid their development.
A randomized clinical trial found that students who received eye exams and glasses through a school-based vision program showed improved reading scores and academic achievement over one year. However, these positive effects were not sustained at two years after the program ended.
Researchers used fruit flies in a virtual reality setting to show that vision influences body movements by tuning postural adjustments as a preventative measure. Without vision, the limb control systems respond to balance and posture perturbations, but when vision is available, the behavioral goal of walking straight takes precedence.
Researchers found that batters keep their eye on the ball but move their head to direct their gaze. The study suggests that this movement may help reduce visual calculations needed for accurate bat placement. Further investigation is needed to determine if eye-gaze-based training can improve batting performance.
Before birth, neonatal mice's retinas generate spontaneous patterns of activity that simulate optic flow, training the brain to process directional information. This intrinsic mechanism prepares the visual system for motion detection at eye opening, despite the mouse not being able to see yet.
Research using electroencephalography found that exposure to maternal odors facilitates categorization of face-like objects in infants' brains. This study suggests that the right occipitotemporal cortex plays a key role in this process, potentially indicating an earlier emergence of hemisphere advantages for face recognition.
Researchers have developed a robot that combines radio wave sensing with computer vision to locate and grasp occluded objects. RF-Grasp uses radio waves to sense objects even when they're fully blocked from view, enabling efficient fulfillment in warehouses or retrieving lost items.
A new study by Anglia Ruskin University found that women with sensory loss are more than twice as likely to report depression and anxiety as men. Women with dual sensory impairment were almost three and a half times more likely to experience depression.
A new implant has improved balance, movement and quality of life for patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH), a condition that affects 1.8 million adults worldwide. The device, which stimulates the vestibular nerve, has been shown to reduce dizziness and improve walking ability.
People with combined vision and hearing loss are nearly four times more likely to experience depression, while those with both issues suffer chronic anxiety. Researchers found a significant link between sensory loss and mental health problems in a study of over 23,000 adults.
A growing global population is exacerbating the need for eye care services, with no significant reduction in treatable vision loss over the last decade. The study highlights cataracts and refractive errors as major causes of moderate to severe vision impairment.
A UCSF study found that older adults with retained senses of hearing, vision, and touch have half the risk of developing dementia compared to those with marked sensory decline. The study tracked over 1,800 participants in their seventies for up to 10 years, revealing a stronger association between olfaction and lower dementia risk.
A study by Aarhus University researchers has discovered the function of nerve cells in the eye that sense visual movement. This knowledge is crucial for developing targeted treatments for diseases like dementia and schizophrenia.
Researchers found that bumblebees can create mental images of objects using information from multiple senses and form sophisticated mental representations of their surrounding world. Bumblebees successfully recognized objects cross-modally in both directions, sight-to-touch and touch-to-sight.
A recent study by the University of Gothenburg found that many 70-year-olds in Sweden overestimate their eyesight, but can still see considerably better with glasses or power correction. The study also highlights the importance of regular eye exams to detect visual impairment and age-related diseases.
A study by the University of Texas at Austin found that successful startups require leaders who both seek input and set boundaries with their team members. The researchers call this 'territorial-marking' behavior beneficial for startups. Leaders who establish limits signal their psychological investment, encouraging team members to inv...
Scientists have discovered that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use both vision and smell to track their victims, with CO2 affecting the responses of neurons in visual centers. This finding has significant implications for understanding mosquito-borne diseases and developing effective control measures.
Scientists have discovered how mosquito brains integrate signals from their olfactory and visual systems to identify and track potential hosts for blood meals. Smelling carbon dioxide triggers changes in the brain that initiate a behavioral response, causing mosquitoes to scan their surroundings with their visual system.
A new study by Tel Aviv University researchers found that fruit bats integrate vision and echolocation to see and use their eyes as much as they hear and use echolocation. The team trained the bats to land on objects in complete darkness, where they transformed echoes into visual images.
A study of 7,700 adults in England found that those with poor eyesight reported more frequent discrimination, which was associated with lower emotional well-being. Individuals with both poor eyesight and perceived discrimination experienced higher levels of depressive symptoms, loneliness, and lower quality of life.
A new study by Lund University found that virtual reality can help individuals with long-term dizziness shift their reliance from vision to other senses for better balance. The study showed differences in how men and women are affected by VR, with more women needing additional practice to master this skill.
Researchers found that Drosophila species invested primarily in vision or olfaction, but not both. The study used high-resolution microscopy and reconstructed primary sensory brain structures to analyze the trade-off between vision and olfaction.
Researchers found a connection between lazy eye and reduced self-perception in children, affecting peer acceptance and physical competence. The study included 60 children with lazy eye and compared them to 20 healthy peers.
A new study reveals that bats' loss of UV vision may be linked to the development of advanced echolocation abilities. The research found that most bat species with high-duty cycle echolocation have non-functional SWS1 genes, suggesting a trade-off between vision and hearing.
Experts discuss the connection between impaired vision, hearing, and cognition, highlighting the need to understand their inter-related processes and develop new tools to measure sensory and cognitive impairments. The report outlines important priorities for future scholarship and clinical practice to address these health concerns.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that children's susceptibility to the McGurk effect decreases with age, while adults are more likely to be influenced by visual information. The research suggests a shift in sensory dominance across development, with reduced susceptibility in childhood and adult-like levels by 10 years of age.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found players with higher scores on vision and motor tasks completed on large touch-screen machines had better on-base percentages, more walks, and fewer strikeouts. High scores in perception-span task were associated with an increased ability to get on base.
Researchers at the University of Delaware used a new mirror box illusion to study how the brain processes multiple sensory inputs. The study found that the brain uses biomechanical constraints from the body schema to resolve conflicts between senses, with vision typically ruling but also considering additional information.
The oilbird's unique combination of sharp vision, smell, tactile sensation, and echolocation abilities inspire researchers to create more advanced drones. By studying the bird's sensory system, scientists hope to develop models that can be used in robotics engineering.
Scientists identify α2δ4 as essential for photoreceptors to connect with neural circuit, enabling proper vision. The study suggests manipulating α2δ4 may help preserve vision in degenerative conditions like age-related macular degeneration.
Researchers found that concussion patients exhibit significantly slowed central and peripheral vision reaction times, with PVRT being disproportionately prolonged. This study suggests a useful diagnostic method to objectively assess concussion symptoms, providing potential benefits for patient recovery and athlete safety.
Researchers at the University of Oregon found that mice rely on their vision to catch prey, providing a new model for understanding complex brain-vision interactions. This discovery may also shed light on human conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), where focusing on a single task is challenging.
A new study reconstructs virtual brains from ancient primate skulls, showing that early primates developed larger brains after specialization in vision and neurological functions. The findings suggest that modern primates' large brains are a result of evolutionary adaptations rather than innate traits.
A nationwide poll of 2,044 US adults found that loss of eyesight is the worst ailment respondents could imagine, ranking it alongside losing a limb or hearing. The survey also revealed high awareness of cataracts and glaucoma but low knowledge about other eye conditions.
Research by Uppsala University and colleagues found that small passerine birds have ultra-rapid vision, with some species able to detect changes at rates of up to 146 Hz, outpacing human vision by 50 Hz. This fast vision is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation for detecting moving insects.