Perceptual Learning Induced by Short-Term Training with Visual Stimuli: Effects of Retinal Position and Stimulus Type
Abstract
We investigated perceptual learning in 85 healthy adults with stereoscopic information contained in dynamic random dot stimuli or with vernier targets. Stimuli were flashed simultaneously at 8 locations at an eccentricity of 1.15° or 2.3°, and subjects had to detect a target in an “8 Alternative Forced Choice” task. For training at a given eccentricity stimuli at the other eccentricity served as a “no training” control. Viewing of visual targets for about 20 minutes resulted in a significant increase of discrimination performance only for the trained stimuli (significant interaction between training and time). Thus, learning is position specific: improved performance can be demonstrated only when test and training stimuli are presented to the same retinal areas. In combination with our earlier electrophysiological results, this study illustrates how perceptual training induces stimulus and visual field specific neural plasticity in adults.
Bei 85 gesunden Erwachsenen wurde das Wahrnehmungslernen mit Noniusreiszen oder Punktmuster-Stereogrammen untersucht. Acht Reize erschienen gleichzeitig 1.15° oder 2.3° von der Fovea entfernt, und der Proband musste in einer „8 Alternative Forced Choice“-Aufgabe einen in seiner Struktur leicht abweichenden Zielreiz erkennen. Die Wahrnehmungsleistung bei Reizen an der jeweils anderen Exzentrizität dienten als Kontrolle. Nach einem Training von 20 Minuten fand sich eine signifikant erhöhte Diskriminationsleistung für die trainierten Reize, nicht jedoch für die Kontrollbedingung. Wahrnehmungslernen ist folglich ortsspezifisch und wird nur an den zuvor trainierten Netzhautarealen beobachtet. Diese Daten bestätigen, dass Wahrnehmungslernen bei Erwachsenen bereits nach 20 Minuten erfolgt, und dies kann im Zusammenhang mit früheren elektrophysiologischen Befunden als weiterer Beleg für spezifische neuronale Plastizität angesehen werden.
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