Short-term ocular dominance plasticity and its effect on visual crowing

Short-term monocular deprivation temporarily shifts ocular dominance in favor of the deprived eye in adult humans, reflecting residual homeostatic plasticity after the closure of the critical period (for review see Baroncelli & Lunghi, 2021). This form of plasticity can be reactivated in adult amblyopes, promoting the recovery of visual functions (Lunghi et al, ACTN 2019). In this project, we will investigate the impact of short-term visual homeostatic plasticity (induced by short-term monocular deprivation) on visual crowding in adult normal-sighted participants. VIsual crowding is abnormal in amblyopic patients. The results of this experiment could therefore bear a clinical relevance for the treatment of amblyopia past the critical period.