How Neuroplasticity Works When We Go Blind?
How does neuroplasticity work when we go blind?
When we lose our sight, our brain undergoes some amazing changes. Like most other organs in our body, the brain is plastic, meaning it can change and adapt in response to new information or experiences. And when it comes to vision, this plasticity is particularly impressive.
In order to understand how neuroplasticity works when we go blind, it’s first important to understand a bit about how our brains process visual information. Our eyes take in light and convert it into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. These signals are then processed in the visual cortex, the part of the brain responsible for vision.
When we lose our sight, certain areas of the visual cortex can become unused. But because the brain is plastic, it can rewire itself so that other parts of the cortex begin to process the visual information that was previously being handled by the now-unused areas. This process is known as cortical map reorganization.
Cortical map reorganization is an amazing example of how adaptable our brains can be. It allows us to compensation for our visual loss and continue to function in our everyday lives. And researchers are still studying exactly how it works and what sorts of changes occur in the brain when we go blind.