Improved auditory spatial sensitivity in near-sighted subjects

There is a great deal of anecdotal and empirical evidence in favor of compe nsatory plasticity of the sensorial modalities when one of them undergoes a total deficit. Yet, while most research has focused on the development of spatial hearing in totally blind individuals, there are few works dealing w ith auditory compensation in the case of a partial visual deprivation. In t he present study, three experiments show that subjects undergoing a visual deficit like myopia are more accurate at localizing sounds than normal-sigh ted subjects. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.