Visual intelligence in action: A question of balance? Neuroplasticity: recent findings on the visual system for the practitioner

Purpose In this presentation I will focus on new insights in the balance of neuroplasticity for brain injury and the effects on vision from a neuropsychological point of view. I will also emphasize on the organisation of the visual pathways ( e.g. ventral and dorsal processing stream and the subcortical processing). Methods From a literature and integrative research point of view of the last ten years we have found that the vision has changed. I will explain that visual processing is not only taken place by the old reponsibility pathways of eyes and the occipital lobes as key regions. Insight on brain injury in recent has changed this meaning. A case will be presented to support this view Results There is a new insight in processing information of the brain and od pathways will be abandoned. It may very well that it takes place by other sensoric areas such as the thalamo-cortical route. The brain is highly sensitive to adverse environments, such as the visual impairment after brain injury, but it shows also resilience to neurological deficits. The visual tracts are no longer seen as the only pathways for sensory information (this is an essential element for ophthamologists and practitionars), because they contains pathways from other areas. Conclusion It is important for ophthalmologists and practitionars that the old paradigma of the visual system should be abandoned. We have to realize that clinical management on the visual disorders is more complex and that the impact from the newly acquired knowledge affects the diagnosis and intervention: an unbeatable approach for visual processing and daily work. Werner, J.S. & Chalupa . L. M. ( 2014). The new visual neurosciences. London: MIT Press.