[Njabs-talk] An inquiry from a Princeton University student

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

Hi Ms. Jerilyn Higgins, 




I am a rising senior at Princeton University and am 

conducting a neuroscience experiment with Uri Hasson's lab that involves blind 

participants as part of my senior thesis research. I was wondering if I could 

obtain permission to tell your members of if you would be interested in telling 

your members about my experiment (note: participants would be compensated for 

their time). I'm sure this all sounds really vague and you're probably wondering 

what my experiment would entail, so I've included more information 

below. 


More about the 

experiment: The experiment 

focuses on language processing in the blind and uses fMRI brain scans that have 

been proven to be quite safe. Based on a previous literature review that I have 

completed, it has been shown that the visual part of the brain in the blind is 

still used, even though its not used for visual purposes. In fact, the visual 

cortex is used even more by those who are blind than sighted persons. Blind 

persons instead use the visual part of their brain for things such as Braille 

reading and verbal comprehension. It is my hope that my research will add even 

more to this notion of 'plasticity' or 'developed new functions' within the 

blind visual cortex and may even discover new ways in which those who are blind 

use the visual part of their brain. These novel functions have been used in 

creating potential rehabilitative devices for the blind (such as echolocation 

devices). I hope that my research may in some way contribute to this knowledge 

that could be used for blind rehabilitative devices and could also further 

illuminate the way in which language processing works in the terms of brain 

networks in the blind.


The 

procedure: In 

order to obtain this goal of examining language processing in the blind, 

subjects will listen to a story while in the fMRI scanner. They will only be 

required to lay still and listen (no other tasks will be asked of them while in 

the scanner). This will help determine if the blind visual cortex is a "high" or 

"low" level area, which is currently highly debated. Participants will also be 

asked to complete a survey at the end which will examine social connectedness 

and contribute to blindness in the area of global health. 

 

Compensation/subject requirements: I think some of your members may find it interesting 

to participate in the experiment, since they will learn more about the new and 

exciting current research that is being done in this field. The total required 

time would be 1.5-2 hours and participants would be compensated at a rate of 

$20/hour, in addition to coverage of travel expenses. I'm looking for 

participants who were born blind or became blind before the age of 2 and are 

18-65 years of age. The experiment would occur on Friday afternoons, but other 

time slots can be scheduled if Friday afternoons are not 

possible. 

Please let me know if you would allow me to let those 

who are apart of the NFB Central Jersey Chapter learn about my 

experiment and if so, how I would go about this. Thank you very much for your 

time. Feel free to either email me back or to call me (610) 

500-1150. 

Looking 

forward to speaking with you,
Best,
Alana D'Alfonso, 

'11