[Nfbf-l] People born blind have more accurate memories than those with sight, scientists say.

[Alan Dicey]

April 29, 2013
>From today's
www.dailymail.co.uk
Research compared those born blind and others with late onset blindness
University academics also compared them with memories of sighted people
Sighted people more likely to create a false memories of what they hear
By Daily Mail Reporter
People born blind have more accurate memories than those with sight,
scientists say.
Those with no visual experience at all had the best verbal and memory skills
in tests. Researchers compared those born blind, others with late onset
blindness and sighted people.
Participants listened to a series of words and was then asked to recall what
they had heard.
Skills test: Researchers have found that blind people have better memories
than those with sight
The results showed that congenitally blind people remembered more words.
They were also less likely to create false memories of what they had heard.
Research has shown we often recall words related to those we actually hear.
For example, hearing the words chimney, cigar and fire could trigger a false
memory of the word smoke.
Dr Achille Pasqualotto, who led the study for the University of Bath, said:
'We found that congenitally blind participants reported significantly more
correct words than both late-onset blind and sighted people.
'Most of the congenitally blind participants avoided unrelated words,
therefore congenitally blind participants can store more items and with a
higher fidelity.'
Results: 'Visual experience has a significant negative impact on accuracy of
semantic memory'
Fellow researcher Dr Michael Proulx said: 'Our results show that visual
experience has a significant negative impact on both the number of items
remembered and the accuracy of semantic memory and also demonstrate the
importance of adaptive neural plasticity in the congenitally blind brain for
enhanced memory retrieval mechanisms.
'There is an old Hebrew proverb that believes the blind were the most
trustworthy sources for quotations and that certainly seems true in this
case.
'It will be interesting to see whether congenitally blind individuals would
also be better witnesses in forensic studies.'
The University of Bath team worked in collaboration with a research
assistant from Queen Mary University of London.
Sighted and late blind participants remembered fewer words that were said,
and more that were not.
Distortions and illusions within human memory are well documented in
scientific and forensic work and appear to be a basic feature of memory
functioning.
Several studies previously suggested that blind people - especially those
with no visual experience - possess superior verbal and memory skills.
Congenital blindness improves semantic and episodic memory is published in
the journal Behavioural Brain Research."
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