Topographic maps and neural tuning for sensory substitution dimensions learned in adulthood in a congenital blind subject

TY - JOUR

T1 - Topographic maps and neural tuning for sensory substitution dimensions learned in adulthood in a congenital blind subject

AU - Hofstetter, Shir

AU - Zuiderbaan, Wietske

AU - Heimler, Benedetta

AU - Dumoulin, Serge O

AU - Amedi, Amir

N1 - Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2021/4

Y1 - 2021/4

N2 - Topographic maps, a key principle of brain organization, emerge during development. It remains unclear, however, whether topographic maps can represent a new sensory experience learned in adulthood. MaMe, a congenitally blind individual, has been extensively trained in adulthood for perception of a 2D auditory-space (soundscape) where the y- and x-axes are represented by pitch and time, respectively. Using population receptive field mapping we found neural populations tuned topographically to pitch, not only in the auditory cortices but also in the parietal and occipito-temporal cortices. Topographic neural tuning to time was revealed in the parietal and occipito-temporal cortices. Some of these maps were found to represent both axes concurrently, enabling MaMe to represent unique locations in the soundscape space. This case study provides proof of concept for the existence of topographic maps tuned to the newly learned soundscape dimensions. These results suggest that topographic maps can be adapted or recycled in adulthood to represent novel sensory experiences.

AB - Topographic maps, a key principle of brain organization, emerge during development. It remains unclear, however, whether topographic maps can represent a new sensory experience learned in adulthood. MaMe, a congenitally blind individual, has been extensively trained in adulthood for perception of a 2D auditory-space (soundscape) where the y- and x-axes are represented by pitch and time, respectively. Using population receptive field mapping we found neural populations tuned topographically to pitch, not only in the auditory cortices but also in the parietal and occipito-temporal cortices. Topographic neural tuning to time was revealed in the parietal and occipito-temporal cortices. Some of these maps were found to represent both axes concurrently, enabling MaMe to represent unique locations in the soundscape space. This case study provides proof of concept for the existence of topographic maps tuned to the newly learned soundscape dimensions. These results suggest that topographic maps can be adapted or recycled in adulthood to represent novel sensory experiences.

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118029

DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118029

M3 - Article

C2 - 33836269

SN - 1053-8119

VL - 235

SP - 118029

JO - NeuroImage

JF - NeuroImage

ER -