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The Neuroscientist, Vol. 11, No. 6, 577-582 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1073858405277314

Reviews

How the Blind "See" Braille: Lessons From Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Norihiro Sadato

National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan, JST (Japan Science and Technology Corporation) / RISTEX (Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society), Kawaguchi, Japan, Section of Cerebral Integration, Department of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan sadato{at}nips.ac.jp

What does the visual cortex of the blind do during Braille reading? This process involves converting simple tactile information into meaningful patterns that have lexical and semantic properties. The perceptual processing of Braille might be mediated by the somatosensory system, whereas visual letter identity is accomplished within the visual system in sighted people. Recent advances in functional neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, have enabled exploration of the neural substrates of Braille reading. The primary visual cortex of early-onset blind subjects is functionally relevant to Braille reading, suggesting that the brain shows remarkable plasticity that potentially permits the additional processing of tactile information in the visual cortical areas.

Key Words: Braille • Visual cortex • Sensory deafferentation • Occipital activation • Tactile acuity • Neuroimaging


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