TY - JOUR

T1 - Neural substrates of spatial processing and navigation in blindness

T2 - An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis

AU - Bleau, Maxime

AU - Pare, Samuel

AU - Chebat, Daniel-Robert

AU - Kupers, Ron

AU - Nemargut, Joseph Paul

AU - Ptito, Maurice

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Even though vision is considered the best suited sensory modality to acquire spatial information, blind individuals can form spatial representations to navigate and orient themselves efficiently in space. Consequently, many studies support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations since sensory modalities other than vision contribute to the formation of spatial representations, independently of visual experience and imagery. However, given the high variability in abilities and deficits observed in blind populations, a clear consensus about the neural representations of space has yet to be established. To this end, we performed a meta-analysis of the literature on the neural correlates of spatial processing and navigation via sensory modalities other than vision, like touch and audition, in individuals with early and late onset blindness. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis of the neuroimaging literature revealed that early blind individuals and sighted controls activate the same neural networks in the processing of non-visual spatial information and navigation, including the posterior parietal cortex, frontal eye fields, insula, and the hippocampal complex. Furthermore, blind individuals also recruit primary and associative occipital areas involved in visuo-spatial processing via cross-modal plasticity mechanisms. The scarcity of studies involving late blind individuals did not allow us to establish a clear consensus about the neural substrates of spatial representations in this specific population. In conclusion, the results of our analysis on neuroimaging studies involving early blind individuals support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations.

AB - Even though vision is considered the best suited sensory modality to acquire spatial information, blind individuals can form spatial representations to navigate and orient themselves efficiently in space. Consequently, many studies support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations since sensory modalities other than vision contribute to the formation of spatial representations, independently of visual experience and imagery. However, given the high variability in abilities and deficits observed in blind populations, a clear consensus about the neural representations of space has yet to be established. To this end, we performed a meta-analysis of the literature on the neural correlates of spatial processing and navigation via sensory modalities other than vision, like touch and audition, in individuals with early and late onset blindness. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis of the neuroimaging literature revealed that early blind individuals and sighted controls activate the same neural networks in the processing of non-visual spatial information and navigation, including the posterior parietal cortex, frontal eye fields, insula, and the hippocampal complex. Furthermore, blind individuals also recruit primary and associative occipital areas involved in visuo-spatial processing via cross-modal plasticity mechanisms. The scarcity of studies involving late blind individuals did not allow us to establish a clear consensus about the neural substrates of spatial representations in this specific population. In conclusion, the results of our analysis on neuroimaging studies involving early blind individuals support the amodality hypothesis of spatial representations.

KW - visual impairments and blindness

KW - spatial navigation

KW - spatial processing

KW - neuroplasticity

KW - amodality

KW - neuroimaging

KW - MRI

KW - meta-analysis

KW - PARAHIPPOCAMPAL PLACE AREA

KW - VISUAL EXPERIENCE

KW - OCCIPITAL CORTEX

KW - HUMAN BRAIN

KW - WORKING-MEMORY

KW - SENSORY SUBSTITUTION

KW - FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIZATION

KW - AUDITORY LOCALIZATION

KW - SOUND LOCALIZATION

KW - PARIETAL CORTEX

U2 - 10.3389/fnins.2022.1010354

DO - 10.3389/fnins.2022.1010354

M3 - Review

C2 - 36340755

VL - 16

JO - Frontiers in Neuroscience

JF - Frontiers in Neuroscience

SN - 1662-4548

M1 - 1010354

ER -