The Neuropsychology of Vision

This book describes a range of new approaches to neuropsychological investigation and provides a broad overview of visual neuropsychology. It explores the workings of the normal visual system, and describes and explains disturbances of vision including agnosia, neglect and blindsight.

The Neuropsychology of Vision describes a range of new approaches to neuropsychological investigation and provides a broad overview of visual neuropsychology. The book starts by presenting the results from new research employing single-unit recordings, on the neuronal basis of perception demonstrating that the visual system relies strongly on feedback from higher to lower levels of information processing, and that neuronal plasticity exists in the primary sensory cortices of adults, areas previously considered to be hard-wired. The book also describes other new and adapted techniques to measure brain activity, including multi-unit sum potential recording, functional magnetic resonance imaging and employing transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce temporary, circumscribed functional lesions in the cortices of normal subjects to mimic disorders.The coverage then moves on to review the experience of patients suffering from disturbances of visual perception. The disorders covered include agnosia, neglect, blindsight and achromatopsia. The final chapter is devoted to recovery and rehabilitation from cerebral visual disorder.Professors Fahle and Greenlee have brought together some of the leading international specialists in the field to provide this comprehensive and up-to-date review.