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Large-scale remapping of visual cortex is absent in adult humans with macular degeneration

Nature Neuroscience volume 14, pages 649–655 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

The occipital lobe contains retinotopic representations of the visual field. The representation of the central retina in early visual areas (V1–3) is found at the occipital pole. When the central retina is lesioned in both eyes by macular degeneration, this region of visual cortex at the occipital pole is accordingly deprived of input. However, even when such lesions occur in adulthood, some visually driven activity in and around the occipital pole can be observed. It has been suggested that this activity is a result of remapping of this area so that it now responds to inputs from intact, peripheral retina. We evaluated whether or not remapping of visual cortex underlies this activity. Our functional magnetic resonance imaging results provide no evidence of remapping, questioning the contemporary view that early visual areas of the adult human brain have the capacity to reorganize extensively.

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Figure 1: Cortical responses to visual stimulation.
Figure 2: Mean coherences for each ROI, averaged across individuals for each group.
Figure 3: Simulating retinal lesions in a control subject.
Figure 4: Occipital lobe responses compared across groups and ROIs.
Figure 5: Receptive field characteristics.
Figure 6: Individual eccentricity maps.
Figure 7: The cortical area representing intact visual field.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of our participants. We thank Edward Silson for constructive discussion of the manuscript. We are also grateful to the Medical Research Council for funding this study (G0401339). K.V.H. and F.W.C. were supported by a grant from Stichting Nederlands Oogheelkundig Onderzoek and by European Union grants #043157 (Syntex) and #043261 (Percept). A.T., G.S.R. and M.D.C. also received financial support from the Department of Health through an award made by the National Institute for Health Research to Moorfields Eye Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University College London Institute of Ophthalmology for a Specialist Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, the Department of Health or the EU commission.

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Author notes

  1. André Gouws and Koen V Haak: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK

    Heidi A Baseler, André Gouws, Christopher Racey & Antony B Morland

  2. Laboratory for Experimental Ophthalmology and BCN Neuroimaging Centre, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Koen V Haak & Frans W Cornelissen

  3. Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK

    Michael D Crossland, Adnan Tufail & Gary S Rubin

  4. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Michael D Crossland & Adnan Tufail

  5. Hull-York Medical School, York, UK

    Antony B Morland

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Contributions

H.A.B. and A.G. acquired and analyzed the neuroimaging data and prepared the manuscript. K.V.H. designed and implemented an analysis to determine the population receptive field characteristics and prepared the manuscript. C.R. acquired neuroimaging data. M.D.C. recruited patients, acquired and analyzed clinical data. A.T. recruited and assessed patients. G.S.R. jointly designed the study, recruited patients and acquired and analyzed clinical data. F.W.C. designed an analysis to determine the population receptive field characteristics and prepared the manuscript. A.B.M. jointly designed the study, acquired and analyzed the neuroimaging data and prepared the manuscript. All authors contributed to drafts of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Antony B Morland.

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Baseler, H., Gouws, A., Haak, K. et al. Large-scale remapping of visual cortex is absent in adult humans with macular degeneration. Nat Neurosci 14, 649–655 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2793

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