The potential for visual rehabilitation following stroke to the visual cortex 

While damage to the primary visual cortex, often due to a stroke, leads to loss of the visual field contralateral to the damaged cortex, there are currently few opportunities for rehabilitation. In my previous talk I laid out how we have used multi-modal MRI to uncover the pathways likely to be carrying visual information after damage to primary visual cortex. The aim of this talk, therefore, is to consider the effects of visual training on both behavioural and neural structures.

Over the past 15 years there have been various attempts to improve visual function following primary visual cortex damage from different research groups around the world. In this presentation, after a brief summary of early results, I will show the results of several studies that we have performed to quantify neural changes driven by visual rehabilitation. In our latest study led by Dr Hanna Willis we not only measured changes after training but also determined whether they persisted beyond the training period.

I will conclude with a discussion of future pathways for improving the vision and lives of those who have suffered cortical damage to the visual system.

Holly Bridge is a professor of Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences of the University of Oxford (UK), she is one of the leading experts in clinical visual neuroscience.

The DEC is delighted to host Prof. Bridge as invited professor starting from June 17th 2024. During her visiting time, Holly will give a series of four lectures.

• 17/06/24, 14h30-16h30, salle Jaurès 

Understanding ‘blindsight’: investigating the pathways that allow those who are clinically blind to ‘see’ 

• 25/06/24, 14h30-16h30, salle Ribot 

The potential for visual rehabilitation following stroke to the visual cortex 

• 02/07/24, 14h30-16h30, salle Ribot 

Understanding the development of the human brain in the absence of vision 

• 09/07/24, 14h30-16h30, salle Ribot 

Investigating the human binocular visual system using multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging