Improvement Of Visual Perception Research Articles

Learning to Draw is Learning to See : A Comprehensive Review of Art and Design Practices in Higher Education

Practises related to learning to draw and learning to see are valuable knowledge in higher education. The drawing process can lead to improvements in visual perception, cognitive skills, and creative thinking abilities. This research presents a case for the integration of drawing practises in higher education, arguing that it can enhance students' ability to think creatively and visually, both in academic and professional pursuits. Through a comprehensive contextual analysis of the literature review from 2019 until 2023, this research examines the evidence that drawing is produced from observation and considers the wide potential implications of learning in higher education. As a result, a conceptual model is presented to explain the relationship between drawing elements and learning to see. This research concludes with a discussion of the potential benefits of incorporating drawing practises into higher education and the challenges and opportunities involved. Overall, this research contributes to supporting comprehensive art and design practises for learning to draw and learning to see and highlights the potential value of drawing in higher education.

Where Exactly Is the Therapist in Virtual Reality and Game-Based Rehabilitation Applications? A Randomized Controlled Trial in Children with Specific Learning Disability

Objective: Children with specific learning disability (SLD) experience problems in visual perception that influence academical skills and activities of daily living. Virtual reality and game-based rehabilitation applications are becoming increasingly popular in rehabilitation, including visual perception rehabilitation. However, the usage of commercially available and easily accessible games as intervention tools raises the question whether rehabilitation conducted with these games is really rehabilitation, or just casual gameplay. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of a nonactively supervised (game-based intervention program [GIP]) and an actively supervised (therapist guided game-based intervention program [TGGIP]) on the visual perception skills of children with SLD. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a single-blind randomized, controlled trial of a TGGIP on visual perception skills in children with SLD compared with the self-oriented, nonsupervised program (GIP). A total of 138 children with SLD participated in the study and were randomly divided into two groups (TGGIP and GIP). Children's visual perception skills were assessed with Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-3. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in visual perception after the intervention programs (P < 0.05). However, the TGGIP (a supervised and structured intervention program) was significantly more effective in improving the visual perception skills compared with the GIP (a standard, nonsupervised, and unstructured intervention program) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: We think that the TGGIP methodology that we designed acts as a facilitator for therapists in using trademarked, commercially available, and easily accessible games for structured and supervised virtual reality and game-based rehabilitation applications.

Human-in-the-loop optimization of visual prosthetic stimulation

Objective. Retinal prostheses are a promising strategy to restore sight to patients with retinal degenerative diseases. These devices compensate for the loss of photoreceptors by electrically stimulating neurons in the retina. Currently, the visual function that can be recovered with such devices is very limited. This is due, in part, to current spread, unintended axonal activation, and the limited resolution of existing devices. Here we show, using a recent model of prosthetic vision, that optimizing how visual stimuli are encoded by the device can help overcome some of these limitations, leading to dramatic improvements in visual perception. Approach. We propose a strategy to do this in practice, using patients’ feedback in a visual task. The main challenge of our approach comes from the fact that, typically, one only has access to a limited number of noisy responses from patients. We propose two ways to deal with this: first, we use a model of prosthetic vision to constrain and simplify the optimization. We show that, if one knew the parameters of this model for a given patient, it would be possible to greatly improve their perceptual performance. Second we propose a preferential Bayesian optimization to efficiently learn these model parameters for each patient, using minimal trials. Main results. To test our approach, we presented healthy subjects with visual stimuli generated by a recent model of prosthetic vision, to replicate the perceptual experience of patients fitted with an implant. Our optimization procedure led to significant and robust improvements in perceived image quality, that transferred to increased performance in other tasks. Significance. Importantly, our strategy is agnostic to the type of prosthesis and thus could readily be implemented in existing implants.

Improvement in visual perception after high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) in those with migraine: An equivalent noise approach

Migraine is a common neurological disorder with strong links to vision. Interictal migraine is thought to be characterised by internal noise in the brain, possibly due to increased variability in neural firing, which can be estimated using equivalent noise tasks. High-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) can be used to modulate levels of internal noise in the brain, and so presents a possible therapy to redress noise levels in the migraine brain. This is a case-control study using a 2-alternative forced choice (2AFC) design. Hf-tRNS and Sham control stimulation were used alongside a global motion direction discrimination task and visually based equivalent noise tasks. The migraine group demonstrated increased baseline internal noise levels compared to the control group. Internal noise levels, and sampling, were reduced using hf-tRNS but not Sham stimulation. However, there were no differences in terms of coherence thresholds, slopes, and lapse rate for global motion discrimination between the two groups. This is the first demonstration of the possibility of decreasing internal noise levels in migraine using hf-tRNS. Future work could explore the possibility of neurostimulation as a therapy for migraine.

Art in Medical Education: A Review.

The use of fine art in medical education has a long history. Numerous studies have investigated the potential benefits of incorporating art in medical education; however, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the efficacy, methodology, and clinical significance of these studies. This scoping review of the literature aims to describe the available literature on the incorporation of art education in medical school and residency. PubMed, Google Scholar, and MedEDPortal were queried from their inception dates through December 2019. English-language studies providing a detailed methodology and detailed analysis were included. A total of 37 studies were identified. Upon further screening of the studies' methodologies and results, 16 studies describing art education implemented with medical students and 12 studies describing art education implemented with residents were included for final review. Various methods of art education exist, including Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), rigorous curricula, and unstructured roundtable discussions with art curators or artistically minded clinicians. Studies range in duration, art media, and type of analysis. There has been an increasing effort to incorporate fine art education into medical training, primarily to enhance visual perception skills and empathy. Although there is limited research on its efficacy, and wide variations in study methodologies exist, results consistently indicate that participants find the incorporation of art into curricula beneficial. Further research analyzing which methodologies are most likely to yield statistically and clinically significant improvements in visual perception and empathy may lead to increased utilization of this teaching method.

Effects of MNRI Visual Reflex Neuro-Training on Visual and Academic Skills of Children with Autism

Background: The Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) Visual Reflex NeuroTraining (VRNT) program facilitates improvement in visual perception, fixation, mobility and saccades functionality in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and supports their academic skills of reading, writing, and overall neurodevelopment. Objective: Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of MNRI VRNT exercises on the eye tracking, ocular-vestibular and optokinetic visual reflex patterns (based on saccades) in children diagnosed with autism (Study Group, n=240). The research hypothesis was that training using these early visual sensory-motor patterns such as: binocular vision and visual fixation, convergence/divergence, eye tracking, ocular-vestibular and optokinetic will improve visual perception and processing resulting in a positive impact on academic skills particularly reading and writing for children with ASD. Study Design: A controlled trial setting and participants - 360 individuals diagnosed with ASD of moderate severity from 7 to 10 years of age. Children attended the VRNT sessions at MNRI Family Conferences (Poland and USA). The study provided comparative analysis and correlation of results in visual competency depending on specific visual reflex patterns. A comparison of the Study Group and Control Group 1 and Control Group 2 was evaluated. Study Group of children diagnosed with ASD (n=240) included boys (n=142); 7-8 year-old (n=58); 8-9 year-old (n=40); 9-10 year-old (n=44) and girls (n=98); 7-8 year-old (n=33); 8-9 year-old (n=28); 9-10 year-old (n=37); verbal (n=91) and non-verbal (n=54), with partial ability to pronounce limited amount of words (n=95). 1. Control Group 1: Included children diagnosed with ASD (n=120) included boys (n=83); 7-8 year-old (n=28); 8-9 year-old (n=31); 9-10 year-old (n=24) and girls (n=37); 7-8 year-old (n=12); 8-9 year-old (n=14); 9-10 year-old (n=11); verbal (n=47) and non-verbal (n=24), with a partial ability to pronounce a limited amount of words (n=49). 2. Control Group 2: Included typical children (n=260) with boys (n=120); 7-8 year-old (n=43); 8-9 year-old (n=38); 9-10 year-old (n=28) and girls (n=140); 7-8 year-old (n=52); 8-9 year-old (n=46); 9-10 year-old (n=42); verbal and with normal neurodevelopment markers (n=260). At the first stage of the study all participants diagnosed with ASD (n=360) in the Study Group (n=240) and Control Group 1 (n=120) and Control Group 2 (n=260) of children with typical development had pre- and postassessments of: a) Visual reflexes (seven patterns total): Binocular single vision and visual fixation, convergence, divergence, horizontal eye tracking, physiological nystagmus, optokinetic and ocular- vestibular/vestibular-optic. (Children in the control groups did not have the MNRI I Visual Reflex NeuroTraining.) b) Visual skills (Test): Convergence stability, directionality in perception, form perception/processing, eye tracking (pursuits and saccades), accommodation (eye- focusing), visual- motor integration, visualization, and other. c) Academic abilities of reading and writing: (Standard School Performance Test - SPT) with age differentiation. At the second stage of the study MNRI VRNT was given to the children in the Study Group (n=240). At the third stage of the study a comparative analysis of results on visual reflex patterns and visual skills was evaluated considering school competency in reading and writing of children diagnosed with ASD in the Study Group and both control groups compared to educational norms for reading and writing (SPT)

Deterioro de la percepción visual en el envejecimiento: Mecanismos cerebrales compensadores

Se han estudiado los efectos del envejecimiento normal en la percepción visual y la existencia de posibles mecanismos cerebrales compensadores. En tres grupos de 30 personas con edad media de 19,6, 42,6 y 65,7 años, se midieron los tiempos de respuesta a la presentación de estímulos (un círculo gris de 0.5 grados de diámetro) de forma secuencial en 24 posiciones del campo visual, distribuidas en 8 coordenadas polares y 3 excentricidades (2.15, 3.83 y 5.53 grados de campo visual). El estímulo se presentó durante 100 milisegundos, con bajo y alto contraste (6% y 78%, respectivamente). Los experimentos se realizaron con y sin atención encubierta a los estímulos. Se observó un incremento progresivo de los tiempos de respuesta con la edad para los estímulos del 6% de contrate y de los presentados en la excentricidad de 5.53º. La atención redujo los tiempos de respuesta en los tres grupos de edad, especialmente en jóvenes y mayores. Los resultados muestran que durante el envejecimiento se produce un deterioro selectivo y progresivo en la percepción de estímulos de bajo contraste y que este deterioro es mayor en las zonas periféricas maculares. A partir de los sesenta años se potencia el desarrollo de mecanismos compensadores que implican una mayor eficacia de la atención visual.

Impairment of visual perception in Aging: Compensatory brain mechanisms

We have studied the effects of normal aging on visual perception and the existence of possible compensatory brain mechanisms. Were measured in three groups of 30 people with normal vision and average age of 19.6, 42.6 and 65.7 years, the response time to the presentation of stimuli (0.5º in diameter grey circles) sequentially in 24 positions of the visual field, distributed in 8 polar coordinates and 3 eccentricities (2.15, 3.83 and 5.53 degrees of visual field). The stimulus was presented for 100 milliseconds, with low and high contrast (6% and 78%, respectively). The experiments were conducted with and without covert attention to stimuli. With age was observed a progressive increase in the response times from the stimuli of 6% of contrast and those presented in the eccentricity of 5.53º. With covert attention, response times were significantly reduced in the three age groups. However, while the younger and older showed similar reductions in the response times, the adult group obtained minor cuts. These results show that during aging occurs a selective and progressive deterioration in the perception of low contrast and that this deterioration is greater in the peripheral macular areas and that from sixty years the visual attention compensating mechanisms have greater efficiency in the improvement of visual perception.

Impairment of visual perception in Aging: Compensatory brain mechanisms

We have studied the effects of normal aging on visual perception and the existence of possible compensatory brain mechanisms. Were measured in three groups of 30 people with normal vision and average age of 19.6, 42.6 and 65.7 years, the response time to the presentation of stimuli (0.5º in diameter grey circles) sequentially in 24 positions of the visual field, distributed in 8 polar coordinates and 3 eccentricities (2.15, 3.83 and 5.53 degrees of visual field). The stimulus was presented for 100 milliseconds, with low and high contrast (6% and 78%, respectively). The experiments were conducted with and without covert attention to stimuli. With age was observed a progressive increase in the response times from the stimuli of 6% of contrast and those presented in the eccentricity of 5.53º. With covert attention, response times were significantly reduced in the three age groups. However, while the younger and older showed similar reductions in the response times, the adult group obtained minor cuts. These results show that during aging occurs a selective and progressive deterioration in the perception of low contrast and that this deterioration is greater in the peripheral macular areas and that from sixty years the visual attention compensating mechanisms have greater efficiency in the improvement of visual perception.

Arnold-Chiari Malformation Type III With Meningoencephalocele: A Case Report.

Arnold-Chiari malformation type III (CM III) is an extremely rare anomaly with poor prognosis. An encephalocele with brain anomalies as seen in CM II, and herniation of posterior fossa contents like the cerebellum are found in CM III. The female infant was a twin, born at 33 weeks, weighing 1.7 kg with a huge hydrocele on the craniocervical junction. After operations were performed, she was referred to the department of rehabilitation medicine for poor motor development, swallowing dysfunction, and poor eye fixation at 22 months. The child was managed with neurodevelopmental treatment, oromotor facilitation, and light perception training. After 14 months, improvement of gross motor function was observed, including more stable head control, rolling, and improvement of visual perception. CM III has been known as a condition with poor prognosis. However, with the improvement in operative techniques and intensive rehabilitations, the prognosis is more promising than ever before. Therefore, more attention must be paid to the rehabilitation issues concerning patients with CM III.

Visual speech information improves discrimination of non‐native phonemes in late infancy.

Initially, human infants are able to discriminate a change from one speech phoneme to another, whether or not the speech contrasts are native or foreign. By the end of the first postnatal year, the ease with which infants discriminate non‐native phonemes diminishes, indicating a progressive attunement toward language‐relevant speech. However, studies in this area have employed procedures lacking dynamic bimodal information (e.g., faces and voices). Given rapid improvements in visual perception across the first postnatal year, as well as a strong propensity to look at and process faces, it is possible that infants would benefit from visual speech in both native and non‐native perception. Across two experiments, discrimination of auditory plus visual Hindi phoneme contrasts was studied in 11‐month‐olds (English‐learning, using digital movies of female Hindi speakers). Several conditions were contrasted: (a) face plus voice using infant‐directed speech (IDS); (b) face plus voice using adult‐directed speech (...

R452 – Nasopharyngeal Yolk Sac Tumors: A Rare Pediatric Occurrence

Problem To report the rare occurrence of a yolk sac tumor of the nose and nasopharynx presenting as acute sinusitis and bilateral complete blindness. Methods The clinical presentation, pathologic features, and management of this 2-year-old infant girl is reviewed. We also performed a medical literature search in English using PUBMED and OVID databases. We then analyzed the literature with respect to clinical presentation, manifestations and therapies for other extra-gonadal yolk sac tumors presenting in the head and neck. Results The patient was treated with 4 courses of high dose cis-platinum, etoposide, bleomycin repeated every 3 weeks along with surgery. She had initial mild improvement in visual perception along with shrinkage of her tumor. The yolk sac malignancies of the head and neck are often, large, aggressive lesions on presentation that once treated have a tendency to recur. Conclusion Yolk sac tumors (endodermal sinus tumors) represent 3–5% of pediatric malignancies. They are rare malignancies in the head and neck, of germ cell origin. Successful treatment usually requires a combination of chemotherapy and surgical extirpation followed by postoperative chemotherapy. Significance Recurrent sinusitis and nasal obstruction in children should be evaluated carefully and with a high level of suspicion for rare nasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may alleviate many of the presenting symptoms and prolong life.

Tactile learning is task specific but transfers between fingers.

Practice-related improvement in visual perception is highly specific for properties of the stimulus used in training. We explored the specificity of such perceptual learning in the human tactile system, using gratings consisting of alternating ridges and groves. Practice effects on grating discrimination showed limited transfer between grating sets defined by spatial variation in either groove width or ridge width, consistent with partially overlapping neural representations of these two spatial parameters. In contrast, substantial interdigital transfer of practice effects occurred for discrimination of gratings varying in either spatial parameter and also for spatial acuity-dependent discrimination of grating orientation. We conclude that tactile learning, although quite as task specific as in other sensory systems, generalizes with considerable facility across fingers, unlike visual learning, which is highly location specific.

Fundamental limitations in the low light-level performance of direct-view image-intensifier systems

To assess the improvement in visual perception of low light level events obtainable with a given image-intensifier system, one must take into account not only the prevailing photometric conditions in the field of view but also the non-ideal optical and electron-optical characteristics of the separate elements of the image-intensifier system, and the eye. In this paper the effects of these factors on the overall perception characteristics of direct-view systems are examined, with particular reference to the limitations associated with objective lens parameters, photon-noise, contrast-transfer, image-tube photosensitivity, limiting resolution, luminance-gain and integration-time.