Proc Biol Sci October 2019 PMID 31575359

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary 'visual' cortex of blind human echolocators.

Liam J Norman, Lore Thaler

Mentions

62
Peak: 51 in Oct 2019
across 5 sources since Oct 2019

Extended reach

616,667
potential audience

Total likes

4,778

Video views

121,358

Mentions per month

Oct 2019 – Apr 2024

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter54 posts
  • News4 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Bluesky1 posts
  • Reddit1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions highlight how the research demonstrates cerebral plasticity by showing that blind individuals can develop spatial sound maps in their visual cortex, leveraging words like 'incredible' and 'beautiful example of brain adaptability' to emphasize its importance. The tone is both amazement and curiosity, with participants contemplating future possibilities such as encoding visual scenes through sound, indicating an overall perception of high potential impact.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the idea that the brain's plasticity allows blind echolocators to repurpose visual regions for processing spatial sound, indicated by phrases like 'incredible finding' and 'cerebral plasticity.'

InterestHigh interest

The conversations show high curiosity, with words like 'very interesting' and 'imagine what will happen,' suggesting participants find the research engaging and thought-provoking.

EngagementHigh engagement

Many posts analyze the methods and implications, for example, referencing fMRI studies and discussing potential future applications like encoding visual input through sound, which demonstrates deep engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

Several discussions underscore the significance of the findings, hinting at transformative potential in understanding neuroplasticity and sensory substitution, although this perception is cautious with mentions like 'only 15 participants,' indicating reco

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Steve Stewart-Williams
@SteveStuWill · X

In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who learn to echolocate, the region is repurposed to process sounds instead. https://t.co/MXTWhLJv2v Original Article: https://t.co/SLfHZ7bOTX https://t.co/QPKZLD4Pqv

Oct 5, 2019 · 43 likes · 17 shares · 241,625 followers View post →
Tay
@BioTay · X

Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la corteza visual. Parece ser que la información es más importante que el canal sensorial por el que se adquiere (paper) https://t.co/RkAHYkwFg3 (blog, abajo) https://t.co/sjwwgvpOBW

Oct 3, 2019 · 29 likes · 8 shares · 20,386 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Echolocation and the human brain - primary visual cortex maps locations of sound in blind people, in the same way as it maps locations of light in sighted people https://t.co/80r9tUCq0j @DurhamPsych #echolocation #openaccess https://t.co/rPm4VvgIW0

Oct 2, 2019 · 11 likes · 5 shares · 38,700 followers View post →
かずさん
@kokamoto46 · X

【反響定位を習得した視覚障害者は音で見ている】 視覚障害者の中には、イルカのようにエコーロケーション(反響定位)による空間認知を習得している人がいる。 舌を鳴らして反響定位しているときの視覚障害者の視覚野の脳活動は、晴眼者が物を見ているときと同等であった。 https://t.co/IwkiKCzAOX

Aug 24, 2022 · 10 likes · 1 share · 1,986 followers View post →
MichaelStephens
@Michael53540127 · X

@iki_dp @Riivves @Filmantopia @kaijusamurai24 @fasc1nate If you’re curious here’s the latest good study on echolocation and humans. https://t.co/32IEQkArYS

Mar 20, 2023 · 8 likes · 47 followers View post →
Pablo Richly
@PabloRichly · X

Hermoso ejemplo de plasticidad cerebral y de cómo el ambiente modela lo que traemos en los genes. https://t.co/kAIt7SZZ3w https://t.co/PkuB5SPkfW

Oct 3, 2019 · 7 likes · 6,728 followers View post →

All mentions

MichaelStephens
@Michael53540127 · X

@iki_dp @Riivves @Filmantopia @kaijusamurai24 @fasc1nate If you’re curious here’s the latest good study on echolocation and humans. https://t.co/32IEQkArYS

Mar 20, 2023 · 8 likes · 47 followers View post →
Lt.frou01@大学
@frou_0 · X

@kaziya21_VRC どうもそうみたいです https://t.co/ixN8O488vT

Jan 18, 2023 · 1 like · 1,488 followers View post →
ハンバーグ太郎
@karaagelove06 · X

RT @kokamoto46: 【反響定位を習得した視覚障害者は音で見ている】 視覚障害者の中には、イルカのようにエコーロケーション(反響定位)による空間認知を習得している人がいる。 舌を鳴らして反響定位しているときの視覚障害者の視覚野の脳活動は、晴眼者が物を見ているときと同等…

Aug 24, 2022 · 1 share · 144 followers View post →
かずさん
@kokamoto46 · X

【反響定位を習得した視覚障害者は音で見ている】 視覚障害者の中には、イルカのようにエコーロケーション(反響定位)による空間認知を習得している人がいる。 舌を鳴らして反響定位しているときの視覚障害者の視覚野の脳活動は、晴眼者が物を見ているときと同等であった。 https://t.co/IwkiKCzAOX

Aug 24, 2022 · 10 likes · 1 share · 1,986 followers View post →
Pablo
@Pablofcollazo · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Jun 7, 2021 · 8 shares · 220 followers View post →
Cy Gorman
@cygorman · X

https://t.co/v2Hbgh39eQ

May 3, 2021 · 504 followers View post →
E. de Margerie - @manudm.bsky.social
@flight_behav · X

@ProfLKloepper @UBDVTLab here it is https://t.co/1ClEX8FpH3

Jan 29, 2020 · 1,507 followers View post →
Yoshiki Inokawa
@yoshiki_inokawa · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human echolocators | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/FghlLPdnhd

Oct 16, 2019 · 1 like · 281 followers View post →
ぺけしぃ
@pekewan · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human echolocators https://t.co/5fjsrRIG82

Oct 16, 2019 · 1 like · 742 followers View post →
Ciekawość.Nauka i Natura
@nauka_natura · X

Niewidomi ludzie, którzy używają echolokacji do mapowania swojego otoczenia, podobnie jak nietoperze, czy delfiny, mają dostosowany obszar mózgu, który pozwala im „widzieć” dźwiękiem, sugerują nowe badania.

Oct 13, 2019 · 1 like · 1,237 followers View post →
Mason Matthews
@masonfmatthews · X

#surprised Some people can use echolocation! https://t.co/kOihVu59ov

Oct 8, 2019 · 1 like · 222 followers View post →
RobManser
@RobManser · X

This is interesting. Blind people who use echolocation were studied using fMRI and found to use their visual cortex to process the spatial information they perceived: Science mag article: https://t.co/R8qi4rhwim Original paper: https://t.co/yRkNUg8i6k

Oct 7, 2019 · 1 like · 83 followers View post →
Sarah Rodock
@SarahRodock · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 6, 2019 · 17 shares · 246 followers View post →
Yohko Hatada 畠田陽子 EMLS RI
@YohkoHatada · X

"task-specific organization can extend even to primary sensory cortices, and in this way is pivotal in our reinterpretation of the functional organization of the human brain." https://t.co/JqXl7GPDZ0

Oct 6, 2019 · 1,654 followers View post →
AurelG
@AurelG7 · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of #blind #human #echolocators | #cognition #echolocation #perception https://t.co/mLXiBC2MNy

Oct 6, 2019 · 1 like · 30 followers View post →
Areté Ventures Group
@AreteVentures · X

Incredible finding - blind brains use the 'space' that would have been applied to seeing to create echolocation maps instead

Oct 6, 2019 · 2 likes · 63 followers View post →
Lance Lund
@LL924 · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 515 followers View post →
マーキュリー2世
@uranus_2 · X

一次視覚皮質において、盲目で反響定位を活用する群の音の刺激地図は、目が見える群での視覚の刺激地図に相同する。この類似性の程度は、反響定位能力と正に関連する。脳活動のトップダウン調整では説明できないRetinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’… https://t.co/KzBwkcfHn4

Oct 5, 2019 · 2 likes · 5,520 followers View post →
midwitness
@Oledvard · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 110 followers View post →
Eli Vieira
@EliVieiraJr · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 80,793 followers View post →
sakanoue no fusigi
@seeker98747 · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 336 followers View post →
Quim Piqueras, R*C 52%
@QuimPiqueras · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 686 followers View post →
Learn Nerd Friend
@ElzbthMcCrthy · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 955 followers View post →
Afthab
@Afthab · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 153 followers View post →
Lockdown Delivery Driver
@Opinionator11 · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 194 followers View post →
SamOlivetree
@SamOlivetree · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 123 followers View post →
Santo Antonio
@kcuck · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 152 followers View post →
Fun and Games
@wwells668 · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 1,314 followers View post →
Dr Salunkhe Shivaji
@YDrshivaji · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 473 followers View post →
Héctor Rodríguez
@hctrdz · X

RT @SteveStuWill: In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who…

Oct 5, 2019 · 17 shares · 599 followers View post →
Steve Stewart-Williams
@SteveStuWill · X

In sighted people, the brain's primary visual cortex processes visual information from the eyes. But in blind people who learn to echolocate, the region is repurposed to process sounds instead. https://t.co/MXTWhLJv2v Original Article: https://t.co/SLfHZ7bOTX https://t.co/QPKZLD4Pqv

Oct 5, 2019 · 43 likes · 17 shares · 241,625 followers View post →
Miguel Angel Ruiz
@Mars_777 · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 4, 2019 · 8 shares · 2,614 followers View post →
Azucena Reina Fdez
@Reaprende · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 4, 2019 · 8 shares · 213 followers View post →
Dr. Alexandra A. de Sousa
@AleAliSousa · X

RT @seeingwithsound: Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary "visual" cortex of blind human echolocators https://t.co/dpuze1tL17…

Oct 4, 2019 · 3 shares · 487 followers View post →
Andy Horn
@binohead · X

Seeing with sound: https://t.co/XO5bwTK4jz

Oct 4, 2019 · 380 followers View post →
Todo genial oye
@AntonioYeeeeh · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 4, 2019 · 8 shares · 71 followers View post →
La Doña Canaria
@ladoniacanaria · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 3, 2019 · 8 shares · 1,385 followers View post →
Pablo Richly
@PabloRichly · X

Hermoso ejemplo de plasticidad cerebral y de cómo el ambiente modela lo que traemos en los genes. https://t.co/kAIt7SZZ3w https://t.co/PkuB5SPkfW

Oct 3, 2019 · 7 likes · 6,728 followers View post →
Zarrapatiestos
@ranoeldelbar · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 3, 2019 · 8 shares · 4,465 followers View post →
fukutim dracula
@fvkvtin · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la cor…

Oct 3, 2019 · 8 shares · 122 followers View post →
Tay
@BioTay · X

Las personas ciegas que se guían por ecolocalización utilizan el cortex primario visual. Usan la orientación espacial de la corteza visual. Parece ser que la información es más importante que el canal sensorial por el que se adquiere (paper) https://t.co/RkAHYkwFg3 (blog, abajo) https://t.co/sjwwgvpOBW

Oct 3, 2019 · 29 likes · 8 shares · 20,386 followers View post →
Magdalena Kachlicka @mkachlicka.bsky.social
@mkachlicka · X

RT @seeingwithsound: Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary "visual" cortex of blind human echolocators https://t.co/dpuze1tL17…

Oct 3, 2019 · 3 shares · 939 followers View post →
Catherine Perrodin
@c_perrodin · X

RT @seeingwithsound: Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary "visual" cortex of blind human echolocators https://t.co/dpuze1tL17…

Oct 3, 2019 · 3 shares · 1,132 followers View post →
Steve Prime
@NeurocogLab · X

RT @RSocPublishing: Echolocation and the human brain - primary visual cortex maps locations of sound in blind people, in the same way as it…

Oct 2, 2019 · 5 shares · 64 followers View post →
Burcu Ayşen Ürgen
@BAUrgen · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human echolocators | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/e0sbLtwwnB

Oct 2, 2019 · 1 like · 2,643 followers View post →
TCD Multisensory Lab
@MultisensoryC · X

RT @RSocPublishing: Echolocation and the human brain - primary visual cortex maps locations of sound in blind people, in the same way as it…

Oct 2, 2019 · 5 shares · 726 followers View post →
Leanna Montgomery
@scicommleanna · X

Very interesting study! Only 15 participants, but still incredible to see how the brain can adapt in some individuals.

Oct 2, 2019 · 604 followers View post →
La Science, CQFD
@ScienceCQFD · X

@CNRS @franceculture @Sciences_Avenir @sciencemagazine [L’étude à découvrir] 02/10 > Cartes du son spatial de type rétinotopique dans le cortex ‘visuel’ primaire https://t.co/1zQpagoLXH via @RSocPublishing #LaMethSci

Oct 2, 2019 · 57,740 followers View post →
Baheerathan M
@BaheerathanM · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human echolocators | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/Ar4oEjWWYC

Oct 2, 2019 · 3 likes · 1 share · 993 followers View post →
Baheerathan M
@BaheerathanM · X

RT @RSocPublishing: Echolocation and the human brain - primary visual cortex maps locations of sound in blind people, in the same way as it…

Oct 2, 2019 · 5 shares · 993 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Echolocation and the human brain - primary visual cortex maps locations of sound in blind people, in the same way as it maps locations of light in sighted people https://t.co/80r9tUCq0j @DurhamPsych #echolocation #openaccess https://t.co/rPm4VvgIW0

Oct 2, 2019 · 11 likes · 5 shares · 38,700 followers View post →
Dan Smith
@AttentionLab · X

RT @DurhamPsych: New from Dr Liam Norman & Dr Lore Thaler: Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human…

Oct 2, 2019 · 1 share · 1,745 followers View post →
The vOICe vision BCI
@seeingwithsound · X

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary "visual" cortex of blind human echolocators https://t.co/dpuze1tL17 Now imagine what will happen when encoding truly visual input (from a camera) in sound/soundscapes...; beyond #echolocation

Oct 2, 2019 · 4 likes · 3 shares · 3,737 followers View post →
The vOICe vision BCI
@seeingwithsound.bsky.social · Bluesky

Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary "visual" cortex of blind human echolocators https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.1910 Now imagine what will happen when encoding truly visual input (from a camera) in sound/soundscapes...; beyond #echolocation

Oct 2, 2019 · 1 share View post →
Durham Psychology
@DurhamPsych · X

New from Dr Liam Norman & Dr Lore Thaler: Retinotopic-like maps of spatial sound in primary ‘visual’ cortex of blind human echolocators in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/mBWha1jmIU

Oct 2, 2019 · 6 likes · 1 share · 3,677 followers View post →
Bhae 239 | PDF | Neuroplasticity | Functional Magnetic Resonance ...
News

https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.1910. form area in the blind. Neuron. 2012:76(3):640–652. https://doi. Norman LJ, Thaler L. Stimulus uncertainty affects ...

Dec 13, 2025 View →
Research shows how different animals see the world : r ...
Reddit

... 10.1098/rspb.2019.1910). Even simpler, our eyes filter out things like our nose which are in our field of vision and join overlapping images ...

Apr 17, 2024 View →
Research results that the brain is changing so that blind people who ...
News

... 10.1098/rspb.2019.1910 Neuroscientists See Unique Brain Changes in Blind People Who Learn to 'See' With Sound https://www.sciencealert.com ...

Oct 16, 2019 View →
音で周囲を知覚する盲目の人は「音で見る」ように脳が変化して ...
News

org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.1910. Neuroscientists See Unique Brain Changes in Blind People Who Learn to 'See' With Sound https://www ...

Oct 16, 2019 View →
Wie Echoortung das Gehirn verändert - wissenschaft.de
News

... 10.1098/rspb.2019.1910. © wissenschaft.de - Daniela Albat. Teilen: Facebook · Twitter · LinkedIn · Xing; Newsletter; Drucken. Zurück zur ...

Oct 4, 2019 View →