Research report 2013 - Associated Institute - Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max-Planck-Society

Seeing without consciousness – what and why does a blindsighted see?

Authors
Schmiedt, J. T.; Schmid, M. C.
Departments
DFG Emmy Noether Research Group of Michael Schmid
Summary
Patients with injury of the primary visual cortex are consciously blind, but can still be able to respond to visual stimuli without being able to explain why. The underlying neuronal mechanisms of this “blindsight” are not well understood, in particular the involvement of the cortex. A new animal model and modern electrophysiological methods have enabled us to gain deeper insights into a phenomenon that questions the common meaning of seeing.

For the full text, see the German version.

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