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Visual experience and blindsight: a methodological review

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Abstract

Blindsight is classically defined as residual visual capacity, e.g., to detect and identify visual stimuli, in the total absence of perceptual awareness following lesions to V1. However, whereas most experiments have investigated what blindsight patients can and cannot do, the literature contains several, often contradictory, remarks about remaining visual experience. This review examines closer these remarks as well as experiments that directly approach the nature of possibly spared visual experiences in blindsight.

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Acknowledgments

Morten Overgaard was supported by a Starting Grant from the European Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRU, Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Kroghstraede 3, 9220, Aalborg Oest, Denmark

    Morten Overgaard

  2. CNRU, MindLab, Hammel Neurorehabilitation and Research Center, Aarhus University, Noerrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Morten Overgaard

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  1. Morten Overgaard
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Correspondence to Morten Overgaard.

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Overgaard, M. Visual experience and blindsight: a methodological review. Exp Brain Res 209, 473–479 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-011-2578-2

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