The Sensitive Period for Tactile Remapping Does Not Include Early Infancy. Issue 4 (28th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Azañón, Elena; Camacho, Karla; Morales, Marta; Longo, Matthew R.
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 89:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 1394
• Page End: 1404
• Publication Date: 2017-04-28
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12813
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : Visual input during development seems crucial in tactile spatial perception, given that late, but not congenitally, blind people are impaired when skin‐based and tactile external representations are in conflict (when crossing the limbs). To test whether there is a sensitive period during which visual input is necessary, 14 children (age = 7.95) and a teenager (LM; age = 17.38) deprived of early vision by cataracts, and whose sight was restored during the first 5 months and at age 7, respectively, were tested. Tactile localization with arms crossed and uncrossed was measured. Children showed a crossing effect indistinguishable from a control group ( N s = 28, age = 8.24), whereas LM showed no crossing effect ( N s controls = 14, age = 20.78). This demonstrates a sensitive period which, critically, does not include early infancy.