The brain adapts to visual loss from "summary" of The Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks
In conditions of visual loss, the brain exhibits remarkable adaptability, compensating for the lack of visual input by enhancing other sensory modalities. This phenomenon, known as neural plasticity, allows individuals to develop alternative ways of perceiving and interacting with the world. For instance, blind individuals often demonstrate heightened auditory and tactile sensitivity, enabling them to navigate their environment with precision and skill. In the absence of visual cues, the brain reorganizes its neural networks to prioritize the processing of auditory and tactile information, leading to enhanced perceptual abilities in these domains. Moreover, individuals who have lost their sight may experience vivid visual hallucinations, a phenomenon known as Charle...
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