JOSEF RAUSCHECKER: "Now the question is: Do blind people have that same or similar functional organization, that these modules actually stay put and just get rededicated to touch and hearing? And the answer is yes."
Professor Rauschecker and researchers from Finland and Belgium found this answer using an fMRI scanner. That means functional magnetic resonance imaging.
The machine recorded brain activity as twelve blind people and twelve sighted people performed tasks involving sound and touch. For example, they would try to decide which direction sounds were coming from, or which finger was feeling gentle vibrations.
Professor Rauschecker says large parts of the visual cortex became active during the sound and touch tests, but only in the blind people.
He says this study and earlier research has led to an experimental device designed to help the blind. It can process images taken by a camera into sensations that could be used by a blind person wearing it.
JOSEF RAUSCHECKER: "So what we’re hoping to do is build this device that would transform basically visual information into auditory information and then tap this amazing reservoir of the blind brain to process sounds and tactile information."
The study is in the journal Neuron.
And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. You can find transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. I'm Jim Tedder.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25