Understanding how early blindness reshapes brain wiring and function
Official title: Anatomical, Neural, and Computational Constraints On Sensory Cross-Modal Plasticity Following Early Blindness
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11384456 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at Georgia Tech will use brain scans and behavioral tasks to see how losing sight early changes how the brain processes sounds and motion.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $241,184 |
| NIH project number | 5R00EY034546-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384456 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with early blindness who can participate in MRI and psychophysics tasks.
✕Less likely to help
Only individuals unable to undergo MRI or complete the behavioral tasks would not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will combine psychophysics, advanced brain imaging (fMRI, dMRI, MRS) to map how early blindness alters brain circuits and computational processing, especially in how auditory motion is handled by areas typically used for vision. They will test whether cross-modal responses in the hMT+ area align with existing connections between hMT+ and the auditory region right planum temporale. By comparing structural and functional data, the study aims to unravel the mechanisms of cortical plasticity and neuronal recycling in blind individuals. The work could illuminate why and how the brain repurposes networks after early sensory loss and inform therapies or assistive strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve our understanding of sensory processing after early blindness and guide interventions that leverage brain plasticity.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows cross-modal plasticity in blind individuals, with partial replication of auditory processing in visual areas.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Woon Ju — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Park, Woon Ju
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.