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The impact of simulated hemianopia on visual search for faces, words, and cars

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Abstract

Tests of visual search can index the effects of perceptual load and compare the processing efficiency for different object types, particularly when one examines the set-size effect, the increase in search time for each additional stimulus in an array. Previous studies have shown that the set-size effect is increased by manoeuvres that impede object processing, and in patients with object processing impairments. In this study, we examine how the low-level visual impairment of hemianopia affects visual search for complex objects, using a virtual paradigm. Forty-two healthy subjects performed visual search for faces, words, or cars with full-viewing as well as gaze-contingent simulations of complete left or right hemianopia. Simulated hemianopia lowered accuracy and discriminative power and increased response times and set-size effects, similarly for faces, words and cars. A comparison of set-size effects between target absent and target present trials did not show a difference between full-view and simulated hemianopic conditions, and a model of decision-making suggested that simulated hemianopia reduced the rate of accumulation of perceptual data, but did not change decision thresholds. We conclude that simulated hemianopia reduces the efficiency of visual search for complex objects, and that such impairment should be considered when interpreting results from high-level object processing deficits.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Discovery Grant RGPIN 319129. JB was supported by Canada Research Chair Tier I, 950-228984, and the Marianne Koerner Chair in Brain Diseases.

Funding

The work of Jason Barton was supported by Canada Excellence Research Chairs, Government of Canada, 950-228984. The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Vision and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Medicine (Neurology), Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2550 Willow Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 3N9, Canada

    Vahideh Manouchehri, Andrea Albonico, Jennifer Hemström, Sarra Djouab, Hyeongmin Kim & Jason J. S. Barton

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Nikookari Eye Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Vahideh Manouchehri

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Linköping, Sweden

    Jennifer Hemström

  4. Faculty of Medicine, University of Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Sarra Djouab

Authors
  1. Vahideh Manouchehri
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  2. Andrea Albonico
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  3. Jennifer Hemström
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  4. Sarra Djouab
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  5. Hyeongmin Kim
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  6. Jason J. S. Barton
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Contributions

VM: data curation; investigation; project administration; resources; writing—review & editing. AA: conceptualization; formal analysis; investigation; methodology; project administration; resources; supervision; writing—review & editing. JH: data curation; investigation; methodology; project administration; software; visualization; writing—review & editing. SD: data curation; investigation; methodology; project administration; software; visualization; writing—review & editing. HK: data curation; investigation; project administration; writing—review & editing. JJSB: conceptualization; formal analysis; funding acquisition; methodology; validation; visualization; roles/writing—original draft; writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Jason J. S. Barton.

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Communicated by Francesca Frassinetti.

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Manouchehri, V., Albonico, A., Hemström, J. et al. The impact of simulated hemianopia on visual search for faces, words, and cars. Exp Brain Res 240, 2835–2846 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06457-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06457-w

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