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The thrifty brain that rewires itself! Two cognitive neuroscientists share insights into neuroplasticity and the amazing capacity of the brain to respond to congenital deafness and overcome acquired brain damage.
This evening's talks will be interpreted in British Sign Language for accessibility to hearing impaired audience members.
This evening's talks will be interpreted in British Sign Language for accessibility to hearing impaired audience members.
Learning To See Again After Brain Injury
Dr Stephanie Rossit
(Lecturer of Psychology at the University of East Anglia )
I will talk about how brain injury can deeply impact how we perceive the world around us and be associated with perplexing visual impairments that have puzzled clinicians and scientists for decades. I will also describe how a simple grasping exercise can improve vision in brain –injured patients.
The Wonders Of The Deaf Brain
Dr Velia Cardin
(Lecturer of Psychology at the University of East Anglia )
The extraordinary capacity of the brain for functional and structural reorganisation is known as neural plasticity. Understanding neural plasticity gives us insights into how the brain works, but also into how it can be changed and maybe enhanced. Using examples from research in congenitally deaf people, I will describe what happens to those regions of the brain that respond to sounds in hearing people. I will show that in deaf people, regions of the brain usually involved in hearing are not dormant, but are utilised for vision, touch, sign language and other functions.
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