Brain functional reorganization in early blind humans revealed by auditoryevent-related potentials

Visually challenged individuals often compensate for their handicap by deve loping supra-normal abilities in their remaining sensory systems. Here, we examined the scalp distribution of components NI and P3 of auditory evoked potentials during a sound localization task in four totally blind subjects who had previously shown better performance than sighted subjects. Both NI and P3 waves peaked at their usual positions while blind acid sighted indiv iduals performed the task. However, in blind subjects these two components were also found to be robust over occipital regions while in sighted indivi duals this pattern was not seen. We conclude that deafferented posterior vi sual areas in blind individuals are recruited to carry:out auditory functio ns, enabling these individuals to compensate for their lack of vision. Neur oReport 11:545-550 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.