University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Neural systems supporting enhanced peripheral visual attention in deaf adults

Seymour, Jenessa Lynn

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SEYMOUR-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/97272

Description

Title
Neural systems supporting enhanced peripheral visual attention in deaf adults
Author(s)
Seymour, Jenessa Lynn
Issue Date
2017-03-15
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Dye, Matthew W.G.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Gratton, Gabriele
Committee Member(s)
  • Beck, Diane
  • Fabiani, Monica
  • Aronoff, Justin
Department of Study
Neuroscience Program
Discipline
Neuroscience
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2017-08-10T19:14:32Z
Keyword(s)
  • Plasticity
  • Deafness
  • Hearing
Abstract
Neural plasticity, the ability of neural tissue to adapt to a number of environments, is considered a defining characteristic of the brain. However, plasticity is poorly understood at the systems level. The exact limits of neural plasticity, which areas can adapt and what functions they can perform, have not been well described in the literature. The study of deaf individuals represents a unique window into this phenomenon. Areas of the brain that are considered part of auditory cortex in a hearing person are still present in deaf individuals. Which functions these areas of cortex can perform in a deaf person, and which they cannot, may help us to understand the limits of plasticity in these tissues. Chapter 1 reviews the literature on neurological and behavioral changes in the deaf as it pertains to visual processing. Chapter 2 describes an optical imaging study, which used a peripheral visual attention task and fast optical imaging to examine changes in the auditory cortex of deaf individuals. Chapter 3 describes event-related potential (ERP) data on changes in an auditory ERP and attention-related components. Finally, Chapter 4 reviews the findings described above and proposes future directions for this research.
Graduation Semester
2017-05
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97272
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2017 Jenessa Seymour

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