Multisensory Rehabilitation Training Improves Spatial Perception in Totally but Not Partially Visually Deprived Children

Abstract

Since it has been shown that spatial development can be delayed in blind children, focused sensorimotor trainings that associate auditory and motor information might be used to prevent the risk of spatial-related developmental delays or impairments from an early age. With this aim, we proposed a new technological device based on the implicit link between action and perception: ABBI (Audio Bracelet for Blind Interaction) is an audio bracelet that produces a sound when a movement occurs by allowing the substitution of the visuo-motor association with a new audio-motor association. In this study, we assessed the effects of an extensive but entertaining sensorimotor training with ABBI on the development of spatial hearing in a group of seven 3–5 years old children with congenital blindness (n = 2; light perception or no perception of light) or low vision (n = 5; visual acuity range 1.1–1.7 LogMAR). The training required the participants to play several spatial games individually and/or together with the psychomotor therapist 1 h per week for 3 months: the spatial games consisted of exercises meant to train their ability to associate visual and motor-related signals from their body, in order to foster the development of multisensory processes. We measured spatial performance by asking participants to indicate the position of one single fixed (static condition) or moving (dynamic condition) sound source on a vertical sensorized surface. We found that spatial performance of congenitally blind but not low vision children is improved after the training, indicating that early interventions with the use of science-driven devices based on multisensory capabilities can provide consistent advancements in therapeutic interventions, improving the quality of life of children with visual disability.

Sounds enhance visual completion processes

“…As the present study has clearly demonstrated that multisensory processes can influence mid-level visual functions, it stands to reason that multisensory stimulation could provide more effective and more efficient rehabilitation in patients with impaired mid-level vision (see also Murray et al, 2015). While practical limitations remain an issue often impeded the widespread use of multisensory technologies in clinical practice (Gori et al, 2016), efforts are improving the accessibility and are already demonstrating the utility of multisensory rehabilitation in visually deprived children (Cappagli et al, 2017) as well as in adults after stroke (Tinga et al, 2016).…”

Late- but not early-onset blindness impairs the development of audio-haptic multisensory integration

“…Previous studies that reported perceptual differences between individuals with different levels of visual experience showed that congenitally blind individuals performed significantly worse than sighted individuals on different auditory and proprioceptive spatial perception tasks. At the same time, late blind and low vision individuals performed similar or even better than sighted individuals Cappagli, Finocchietti, Baud-Bovy, et al, 2017). These findings suggest that the mere presence or absence of visual input early in life affects spatial processing in the remaining senses.…”

“…In support of this hypothesis Gori and colleagues (2012) showed that haptic orientation discrimination performance is impaired in blind children because vision could not calibrate touch on this task (Gori, Tinelli, Sandini, Cioni, & Burr, 2012). Indeed, several other studies demonstrated that perceptual functioning in the remaining senses of blind individuals is severely compromised Cappagli, Finocchietti, Baud-Bovy, Cocchi, & Gori, 2017;Vercillo, Burr, & Gori, 2016;Zwiers, Van Opstal, & Cruysberg, 2001) when accurate performance depends on high resolution visual input (Coluccia, Mammarella, & Cornoldi, 2009;Gori, Sandini, Martinoli, & Burr, 2014;Pasqualotto et al, 2018;Pasqualotto & Proulx, 2012;Vercillo et al, 2016).…”

Auditory enhancement of illusory contour perception

“…It is thus possible to imagine a multisensory training for children or young adults recovering from early visual deprivation in order to restore these mid-level visual functions. While practical limitations constitute an issue that too-often impedes the widespread use of multisensory technologies in clinical practice (Gori, Cappagli, Tonelli, Baud-Bovy, & Finocchietti, 2016), efforts are improving the accessibility of such treatment regimes, and are already demonstrating the utility of multisensory rehabilitation in visually deprived children (Cappagli, Finocchietti, Baud-Bovy, Cocchi, & Gori, 2017). Another line of research investigating debilitating effects of early visual deprivation comes from studies examining auditory and haptic spatial impairments in early visually-deprived children (Cappagli et al, 2017; Gori et al, 2010), as well as impairments in multisensory processing in early visually-deprived adults (Champoux et al, 2010; Collignon, Charbonneau, Lassonde, & Lepore, 2009).…”

“…While practical limitations constitute an issue that too-often impedes the widespread use of multisensory technologies in clinical practice (Gori, Cappagli, Tonelli, Baud-Bovy, & Finocchietti, 2016), efforts are improving the accessibility of such treatment regimes, and are already demonstrating the utility of multisensory rehabilitation in visually deprived children (Cappagli, Finocchietti, Baud-Bovy, Cocchi, & Gori, 2017). Another line of research investigating debilitating effects of early visual deprivation comes from studies examining auditory and haptic spatial impairments in early visually-deprived children (Cappagli et al, 2017; Gori et al, 2010), as well as impairments in multisensory processing in early visually-deprived adults (Champoux et al, 2010; Collignon, Charbonneau, Lassonde, & Lepore, 2009). Later in life some of these deficits might disappear, as early visually-deprived adults (for example through congenital blindness) demonstrate improved performance on various auditory spatial tasks (Collignon & De Volder, 2009; Collignon, Lassonde, Lepore, Bastien, & Veraart, 2007; Collignon, Renier, Bruyer, Tranduy, & Veraart, 2006; Collignon, Voss, Lassonde, & Lepore, 2009).…”