Decoding Natural Sounds in Early "Visual" Cortex of Congenitally Blind Individuals.

ABSTRACT: Complex natural sounds, such as bird singing, people talking, or traffic noise, induce decodable fMRI activation patterns in early visual cortex of sighted blindfolded participants [1]. That is, early visual cortex receives non-visual and potentially predictive information from audition. However, it is unclear whether the transfer of auditory information to early visual areas is an epiphenomenon of visual imagery or, alternatively, whether it is driven by mechanisms independent from visual experience. Here, we show that we can decode natural sounds from activity patterns in early "visual" areas of congenitally blind individuals who lack visual imagery. Thus, visual imagery is not a prerequisite of auditory feedback to early visual cortex. Furthermore, the spatial pattern of sound decoding

SUBMITTER: Vetter P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7416107 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature