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Visual Neuroscience

Visual Neuroscience news articles cover science research into visual cortex, vision, visual disorders, blindness, brain processing of visual cues, facial recognition and research related to how eyes and brains function.

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·July 7, 2025·5 min read

Retinal Cells Rewire to Preserve Vision in Degenerative Eye Disease

New research shows that retinal neurons can rewire to preserve vision in retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disease causing blindness. Using mouse models, scientists found that rod bipolar cells adapt by forming functional connections with cone cells when their usual rod partners degenerate.

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·July 5, 2025·8 min read

Blurry Beginnings Shape Brain’s Visual Pathways

New research reveals how early-life blurry, low-color vision may help shape the brain’s visual pathways into specialized systems. Using computational models trained on low-quality images followed by high-quality ones, scientists showed this developmental trajectory produces distinct magnocellular and parvocellular-like processing.

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·June 24, 2025·7 min read

Could This Molecule Prevent Vision Loss in AMD?

A new study reveals that increasing levels of apolipoprotein M (ApoM) may slow or prevent the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of blindness in older adults. Researchers found that low ApoM impairs cholesterol metabolism in the retina, contributing to inflammation and vision loss—especially in advanced forms like geographic atrophy.

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·June 17, 2025·5 min read

Your Brain Instantly Sees What You Can Do, AI Still Can’t

New research shows that the human brain automatically recognizes what actions an environment affords—like walking, climbing, or swimming—even without conscious thought. Using MRI scans, researchers found unique activity in visual brain regions that went beyond simply processing objects or colors, revealing deep neural encoding of “affordances,” or possible actions.

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·June 11, 2025·4 min read

How Serotonin Circuits Learn from Motion to Regulate Behavior

Scientists have uncovered how serotonergic neurons in larval zebrafish process visual information tied to movement to determine when and how much serotonin to release. This neuromodulator fine-tunes the fish’s swimming effort, adjusting behavior based on the effectiveness of past actions.

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·June 10, 2025·2 min read

Sticky Molecules May Hold the Key to Preventing Vision Loss in AMD

A new study reveals how sticky molecules called heparan sulfate (HS) may trap lipoproteins in the eye and trigger early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These fat-protein particles, similar to HDL, accumulate between retinal layers, forming drusen that damage vision over time.

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·June 6, 2025·5 min read

Nanowire Retinal Implant Restores Vision and Sees Infrared

Researchers have developed a retinal prosthesis made of tellurium nanowires that restores partial vision in blind mice and enables near-infrared vision in primates. The implant, woven into a lattice of light-sensitive nanowires, converts both visible and near-infrared light into electrical signals for the brain.

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·June 5, 2025·6 min read

AI Diagnoses Eye Movement Disorders from Home

Researchers have developed an AI-based diagnostic tool that uses smartphone video and cloud computing to detect nystagmus—a key symptom of balance and neurological disorders. Unlike traditional methods like videonystagmography, which are expensive and cumbersome, this deep learning system provides a low-cost, patient-friendly alternative for remote diagnosis.

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·June 5, 2025·4 min read

New Eye Implant Slows Retinal Degeneration

The FDA has approved ENCELTO, the first treatment for macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a rare degenerative eye disease that gradually impairs central vision. ENCELTO is a surgically implanted device that delivers a steady dose of a neuroprotective protein called CNTF to preserve retinal cells and slow disease progression.

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·June 3, 2025·5 min read

Self-Powered Synapse Brings Human-Like Vision to AI Devices

Researchers have developed a self-powered artificial synapse capable of color recognition with near-human precision. Unlike traditional systems that demand external energy and massive data processing, this device mimics biological vision and generates its own electricity using solar cells.

This shows a person walking in a dark hallway.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 30, 2025·3 min read

Why Some Individuals Adapt to Fear Faster Than Others

A new study has uncovered the brain circuits responsible for individual differences in how animals adapt to repeated visual threats. Using advanced neural recording and manipulation tools, researchers identified two distinct pathways in the brain that drive either persistent escape or rapid habituation in mice.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 23, 2025·4 min read

Eye Surgery Technique Could Restore Vision in Macular Degeneration

Scientists have developed a novel surgical method allowing two retinal tissue grafts to be implanted in a single eye, advancing treatment strategies for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This new approach enables side-by-side testing of grafts—one with retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and one without—within the same lesion, using a specially designed clamp to maintain eye pressure and reduce damage.