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Open Access 01-06-2012 | Original Communication

Vivid visual mental imagery in the absence of the primary visual cortex

Authors: Holly Bridge, Stephen Harrold, Emily A. Holmes, Mark Stokes, Christopher Kennard

Published in: Journal of Neurology | Issue 6/2012

Abstract

The role of the primary visual cortex in visual mental imagery has provided significant debate in the imagery literature. Functional neuroimaging studies show considerable variation depending on task and technique. Patient studies can be difficult to interpret due to the diverse nature of cortical damage. The type of cortical damage in patient SBR is exceedingly rare as it is restricted to the gray matter of the calcarine sulcus. In this study, we show that in spite of his near-complete cortical blindness, SBR exhibits vivid visual mental imagery both behaviorally and when measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging. The pattern of cortical activation to visual mental imagery in SBR is indistinguishable from individual sighted subjects, in contrast to the visual perceptual responses, which are greatly attenuated.

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Title: Vivid visual mental imagery in the absence of the primary visual cortex
Authors: Holly Bridge
Stephen Harrold
Emily A. Holmes
Mark Stokes
Christopher Kennard
Publication date: 01-06-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Journal of Neurology / Issue 6/2012
Print ISSN: 0340-5354
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1459
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-6299-z

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