The power of vision: Calibration of auditory space after sight restoration from congenital cataracts

Early visual deprivation typically also results in impaired spatial cognition in the other sensory modalities (e.g., audition). It has been suggested that this happens because, since vision provides the most accurate spatial information, it is also used as a reference for calibrating space in the other sensory modalities during development. Here we found that sight restoration after several years of early-onset visual deprivation can lead to the development of more accurate and precise auditory space perception. In two experiments we assessed auditory space perception in individuals who suffered from congenital bilateral cataracts and got surgically treated for sight restoration several years after birth.早期视觉剥夺（early visual deprivation）通常还会导致其他感官模态（sensory modalities，例如听觉（audition））的空间认知（spatial cognition）能力受损。已有研究表明，该现象的成因在于：视觉可提供最为精准的空间信息，因此在个体发育过程中，视觉会被用作其他感官模态开展空间校准的参照标准。本研究发现，在早发性视觉剥夺（early-onset visual deprivation）数年后恢复视力，能够使个体的听觉空间感知（auditory space perception）能力变得更为准确与精细。本研究通过两项实验，对出生数年后接受手术治疗以恢复视力的先天性双侧白内障（congenital bilateral cataracts）患者的听觉空间感知能力进行了评估。