Affiliations: California Institute for Medical Research at the Santa
Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA, USA | Department of Biological Sciences, San José State
University, San Jose, CA, USA | Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences,
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: John R. Hotson, M.D., California Institute
for Medical Research, 2260 Clove Drive, San Jose, CA 95128, USA. Tel.: +1 408
885 5580; Fax: +1 408 885 5587; E-mail: hotson@stanford.edu
Abstract: Purpose: Visual perceptual learning occurs with the presentation of
novel visual stimuli at retinal sites near the fovea to 20°
eccentricities. It was unclear if the magnitude and rate of visual learning
were similar across the central visual fields or if visual learning decreased
with increasing eccentricity. The robustness of learning across the visual
fields may affect the magnitude of computer-aided visual recovery after visual
brain injury. Therefore we determined if eccentricity was a factor that
influenced perceptual learning. Methods: Subjects were trained to detect the presence or
absence of a single line oriented differently (odd-element) from an array of
lines that otherwise had the same orientation. The odd-element line was
presented 3°, 9° or 18° from fixation. Results: Perceptual performance improved during training
trials with a similar magnitude and similar learning curve slopes at all 3
eccentricities. Pre- and post-training performance improved to a similar
magnitude at 3 vs 9° in 4 of 4 subjects tested and at 9° vs
18° in 4 of 5 subjects. In the fifth subject there was no post-training
improvement in performance at 18°. Conclusion: Visual perceptual learning is similar across the
extrafoveal central visual fields in almost all subjects.
