Training the Next Generation of European Visual Neuroscientists

 

Stability and plasticity

The human visual system relies on both stability and the ability to change and adapt. Perceiving the visual world in a coherent way requires consistency of the visual system. However, the ability to reorganize neural pathways in the brain, is also required to accommodate changes and new experiences. The research carried out within the NextGenVis network focuses on the balance between cortical stability and plasticity in health and disease.

Vision as a dynamic system

Throughout our life course, vision may change for various reasons. A common cause is eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. How does the brain respond to altered information from the eyes? Will the architecture of the visual cortex stay the same, or will reorganization take place? There is a rapid development of visual aids and restorative technologies such as retinal implants, but in order to successfully apply these it is crucial to understand the visual system – and how it responds to changes. Within NextGenVis we strive to understand the visual system as a whole, including the eyes, the visual pathways and the brain.

The NextGenVis team

NextGenVis is a European team of researchers from the health care sector, universities and private companies. This brings together unique expertise and resources in brain imaging, psychology, neurology, ophthalmology, and computer science.

This project is called NextGenVis for a reason: the goal is to take vision research further by Training the Next Generation of Visual neuroscientists. Training includes both academic research and collaboration with the health care and high-tech industry.