Training on visual masking improves visual functions in fovea and periphery.

M Lev, A Sterkin, O Yehezkel, R Doron, M Fried, U. Polat

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Crowding impairs the ability to recognize an object in clutter. Visual masking refers to impaired performance on a target stimulus when a mask stimulus is briefly presented before, during, or after the target, at the same, or at flanking locations. Each crowding and visual masking effect represents a very important stage in visual processing and both are widely used as a tool to study visual processing in the brain. Yet the relation between crowding and lateral masking is unclear. In our previous studies we showed that crowding is correlated with masking; a higher degree of crowding correlates with higher masking. Previous studies showed that training on lateral masking improves some visual functions but the effect on crowding is not yet clear. Here we explored whether training on lateral masking can reduce the crowding effect as well as improve other visual functions in the fovea and the peripheral. Methods: Subjects were tested before and after undergoing training in visual acuity, stereo acuity, letter crowding, spatial alignment, and contrast sensitivity. The subjects were trained on detection tasks and on two types of masking (simultaneous, temporal). The target appeared randomly either at the fovea or at the periphery (right or left). Results: During the training sessions the extent of spatial and temporal masking was reduced. After training, the group improved in visual acuity, spatial alignment, and contrast sensitivity at all locations. In addition, stereo acuity was tested and it improved in the fovea and crowding was reduced at the periphery. Discussion: The results indicate that training 60 that reduces the masking effect is transferred to reduction in the crowding effect. Thus, the results support our hypothesis that crowding and lateral masking share similar mechanisms. The improvements in all trained locations, using lateral masking, support our suggestion that similar basic processing takes place in both peripheral and the foveal vision. Israel Science foundation and Dept. of Defense, USA
Original languageAmerican English
StatePublished - 2012
EventThe 21stAnnual Meeting of the Israel Society for Neuroscience (ISFN) - Israel Society for Neuroscience (ISFN), Eilat, Israel
Duration: 15 Dec 201218 Dec 2012
http://www.isfn.org.il/images/stories/2012/abstracts-2012.pdf (Website)

Conference

ConferenceThe 21stAnnual Meeting of the Israel Society for Neuroscience (ISFN)
Country/TerritoryIsrael
CityEilat
Period15/12/1218/12/12
Internet address

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