Spontaneous and training-induced brain changes in response to central vision loss
Studying how the brain copes with the loss of sensory input loss can offer a privileged access to understand the functioning of the healthy brain and also help develop clinical interventions in patients suffering from vision loss. Alongside the studies on healthy population, I conducted a series of studies on patients suffering from Macular Degeneration (MD). MD is one of the most common visual diseases and affects the central portion of the visual field, often resulting in regions of blindness. We showed long lasting effects of PL in improving visual acuity in MD (1, 2), while providing evidence for spontaneous cortical reorganization in the early visual cortex after vision loss in this clinical population (3). I also worked on characterizing changes following central vision loss, by developing MAP (multi-line adaptive procedure), a novel test to chart functional visual field in macular degeneration that could be used for early diagnosis and monitoring oof visual functions (4). More recently, I worked on quantifying spontaneous compensation for central vision loss in MD patients through a compensation score (5).
Additionally, I co-edited a research topic on the practical applications of PL in treating visual conditions such as MD, amblyopia and myopia (6), I wrote a review on the rehabilitative use of PL in MD (7) and a perspective piece on possible interventions for central vision loss (8).
Additionally, I co-edited a research topic on the practical applications of PL in treating visual conditions such as MD, amblyopia and myopia (6), I wrote a review on the rehabilitative use of PL in MD (7) and a perspective piece on possible interventions for central vision loss (8).
- Maniglia M., Pavan A., Sato G., Contemori G., Montemurro S., Battaglini L., Casco C. (2016). Perceptual learning leads to long lasting visual improvement in patients with macular degeneration. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 1-24
- Maniglia M., Soler V., Trotter Y, (2020). Combining fixation and lateral masking training enhances perceptual learning effects in patients with macular degeneration. JOV 20 (10), 19-19.
- Maniglia M., Soler, V. Cottereau, B., Trotter, Y. (2018). Spontaneous and training-induced cortical plasticity in MD patients: Hints from lateral masking. Scientific Reports, 8, 90.
- Thurman, S.M. *, Maniglia, M. *, Davey, P.G., Biles, M.K., Visscher, K.M., Seitz, A.R. (2018). Multi-line Adaptive Perimetry (MAP): A New Procedure for Quantifying Visual Field Integrity for Rapid Assessment of Macular Diseases. Translational vision science & technology, 7 (5), 28-28
- Maniglia, Defenderfer, Fleming, Demirayak, DeCarlo, Visscher (2020). Quantifying level of compensation after central vision loss. Vision Science Society Meeting 2020.
- Campana G., Maniglia M. (2015) Editorial: Improving visual deficits with perceptual learning. Frontiers in Psychology 6, 491.
- Maniglia, M, Cottereau, B.R., Soler, V., Trotter, Y. (2016). Rehabilitation approaches in macular degeneration patients. Frontiers in systems neuroscience 10, 107.
- Maniglia, M, Visscher, KM, Seitz, AR (2021). Perspective on Vision Science-Informed Interventions for Central Vision Loss. Frontiers in neuroscience, 15, 734970
Compensatory oculomotor adaptation in a model of central vision loss
Understanding perceptual learning beyond basic perceptual improvements
Perceptual learning is a complex phenomenon that relies on multiple mechanisms that depend on several aspects of the training. With Dr. Seitz, we proposed a new model of PL that moves beyond a classic distinction between high- and low-level processes and considers learning as a distributed process that involves numerous aspects of the training procedures and the trained individuals and that can potentially involve the whole brain (a). Being able to isolate the variables that give rise to generalization of learning would help unlock the full potential of PL as a practical tool to improve visual abilities. Consistently, in an earlier study conducted during my PhD, we showed that a training aimed at reducing cortical inhibition would transfer to visual crowding reduction, one of the main causes of reading difficulties in peripheral vision (b). This study represented a proof of concept for the use of lateral interaction training to develop training protocols for patients with central vision loss.
- Maniglia, M., Seitz, A.R. (2018). Towards a whole brain model of Perceptual Learning. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences 20, 47-55.
- Maniglia, M., Pavan, A., Cuturi, F.L., Campana, G., Sato, G., Casco, C. (2011). Reducing crowding by weakening inhibitory lateral interactions in the periphery with perceptual learning. Plos One 6(10)
Mechanisms of early visual phenomena
Part of my PhD was devoted to the study of the mechanisms of contrast- and motion-dependent perceptual phenomena. In a series of studies on lateral masking, my colleagues and I reported for the first time evidence of collinear facilitation, the increase in contrast sensitivity for a target in a lateral masking display, in peripheral vision (1), characterizing its spatial range (2), spatial frequency properties (3) and its interaction with contrast adaptation (4). Taken together, these studies show that foveal and peripheral collinear facilitation differ in terms of spatial frequency tuning and target-to-flanker separations, most likely reflecting cortical magnification in early visual cortex. More recently, I characterize changes in contrast sensitivity for different levels of visual glare (a common occurance while driving) under different viewing conditions (5).
In another study, we showed that static images portraying implied motion can lead to motion-induced position shift (6), while random motion can affect visual motion judgement (7).
In another study, we showed that static images portraying implied motion can lead to motion-induced position shift (6), while random motion can affect visual motion judgement (7).
- Maniglia, M., Pavan, A., Cuturi, F.L., Campana, G., Sato, G., Casco, C. (2011). Reducing crowding by weakening inhibitory lateral interactions in the periphery with perceptual learning. Plos One 6(10)
- Maniglia M., Pavan A., Aedo-Jury F., Trotter Y. (2015) The spatial range of peripheral collinear facilitation. Scientific Reports 5, 15530
- Maniglia M, Pavan A, Trotter Y (2015). The effect of spatial frequency on peripheral collinear facilitation Vision research 107, 146-154
- Maniglia M., Contemori G., Marini E., Battaglini L. (2020). Contrast adaptation of flankers reduces collinear facilitation and inhibition. Vision research, 193, 107979
- Maniglia, M., Thurman, S., Davey, P., Seitz, A.R. (2018) Effect of Varying Levels of Glare on Contrast Sensitivity Measurements of Young Healthy Individuals Under Photopic and Mesopic Vision. Frontiers in Psychology 9, 899
- Pavan, A., Cuturi, L.F., Maniglia, M., Casco, C., Campana, G. (2011). Implied motion from static photographs influences the perceived position of stationary objects Vision research 51 (1), 187-194
- Battaglini, L., Maniglia, M., Konishi, M., Contemori, G., Coccaro, A., Casco, C. (2018). Fast random motion biases judgments of visible and occluded motion speed. Vision Research, 150, 38-43
Brain stimulation as a probe to understand mechanisms of vision and learning
Brain stimulation has great potential to help understand mechanisms of learning and perception. Using TMS, we investigated the neural bases of motion after effect (MAE) both in its short (1) and long form (2), showing the involvement of both low- (V2/V3) and intermediate (MT) level motion processing areas for rapid and long induction (1) and for static and dynamic MAE (2). We also studied the neural basis of the audiovisual bounce inducing effect (ABE), showing the involvement of the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC), which suggests in turn a role of cross-modal binding in generating this effect (3).
In a recent paper, my colleagues and I demonstrated the role of tRNS in boosting PL during a crowding reduction training that showed transfer of learning to different orientation and task (visual acuity) (4). Using a different brain stimulation technique, transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), we showed improvements in contrast sensitivity following occipital stimulation in healthy vision (5) and in MD (6) . I recently wrote a review on the use of transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) to study the relationship between neural oscillations and binding mechanisms in vision (7) and a perspective piece on the combined use of VPL and brain stimulation that identifies several crucial aspects in task and protocol design (8).
In a recent paper, my colleagues and I demonstrated the role of tRNS in boosting PL during a crowding reduction training that showed transfer of learning to different orientation and task (visual acuity) (4). Using a different brain stimulation technique, transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), we showed improvements in contrast sensitivity following occipital stimulation in healthy vision (5) and in MD (6) . I recently wrote a review on the use of transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) to study the relationship between neural oscillations and binding mechanisms in vision (7) and a perspective piece on the combined use of VPL and brain stimulation that identifies several crucial aspects in task and protocol design (8).
- Campana G, Pavan A, Maniglia M, Casco C. The fastest (and simplest), the earliest: the locus of processing of rapid forms of motion aftereffect. Neuropsychologia. 2011 Aug;49(10):2929–34.
- Campana G, Maniglia M, Pavan A. (2013). Common (and multiple) neural substrates for static and dynamic motion after-effects: A rTMS investigation Cortex. 49(9):2590-2594
- Maniglia M., Grassi M., Casco C., Campana G. (2012) The origin of the Audiovisual bounce-inducing effect: a TMS study. Neuropsychologia 50(7):1478-82
- Contemori* G., Trotter, Y., Cottereau, B., Maniglia, M.*. tRNS boosts perceptual learning in peripheral vision. Neuropsychologia 125, 129-136.
- Battaglini L., Contemori G., Penzo S., Maniglia M. (2020). tRNS effects on visual contrast detection. Neuroscience letters. 717, 134696
- tRNS boosts visual perceptual learning in participants with bilateral macular degeneration (2024). Contemori G*, Maniglia M*, Guénot J, Soler V, Cherubini M, Cottereau BR, Trotter Y. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 16, 1326435
- Ghiani, A, Maniglia, M, Battaglini, L, Melcher, D, Ronconi, L (2021). Binding mechanisms in visual perception and their link with neural oscillations: a review of evidence from tACS. Frontiers in Psychology 12, 779.
- Maniglia M (2022). Perspectives on the Combined Use of Electric Brain Stimulation and Perceptual Learning in Vision. Vision 6 (2), 33