Peripheral vision benefits spatial learning by guiding eye movements

The loss of peripheral vision impairs spatial learning and navigation. However, the mechanisms underlying these impairments remain poorly understood. One advantage of having peripheral vision is that objects in an environment are easily detected and readily foveated via eye movements. The present study examined this potential benefit of peripheral vision by investigating whether competent performance in spatial learning requires effective eye movements. In Experiment 1, participants learned room-sized spatial layouts with or without restriction on direct eye movements to objects. Eye movements were restricted by having participants view the objects through small apertures in front of their eyes. Results showed that impeding effective eye movements made subsequent retrieval of spatial memory slower and less accurate. The small apertures also occluded much of the environmental surroundings, but the importance of this kind of occlusion was ruled out in Experiment 2 by showing that participants exhibited intact learning of the same spatial layouts when luminescent objects were viewed in an otherwise dark room. Together, these findings suggest that one of the roles of peripheral vision in spatial learning is to guide eye movements, highlighting the importance of spatial information derived from eye movements for learning environmental layouts.

Posibilidades de aplicación del estudio de la percepción al tratamiento de desórdenes mentales.

Se estudia el concepto de percepción como la configuración significativa de la realidad exterior, las leyes perceptuales para dicha configuración, los niveles cognitivos en la percepción, así como la aplicabilidad de las reglas de organización perceptual, en un estudio experimental sobre psicología del aprendizaje, que concluye que la psicología de la percepción tiene grandes posibilidades de aplicación en el tratamiento de los desórdenes mentales.

Excimer Laser no tratamento do vitiligo em 123 pacientes: estudo retrospectivo

Introduction: Vitiligo is cosmetically disfiguring and can cause significant psychological morbidity. Most therapies require protracted treatments and can lead to disappointing results. More recently, 308 nm Excimer laser has proven to be effective in treating vitiligo. Objective: To analyze the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of 308 nm Excimer treatment for vitiligo patches in a variety of locations on the body. Methods: Patients with generalized or localized vitiligo (n = 123, 321 lesions), were studied. The patients were treated at a private practice between 2007 and 2010. Two independent examiners analyzed the response to the therapy by comparing clinical and photographic records before and after treatment. Results: More than half (n = 77) of the patients presented repigmentation greater than 60%, 26 presented 40-59%, and 20% had levels less than 39%. Facial lesions responded better to treatment than those in other body parts. Elbows, hands and feet were the less sensitive areas. In general, the patients were satisfied with the treatment. Conclusion: The use of Excimer laser for treating vitiligo was effective and safe, producing satisfactory cosmetic results and improving patients' self esteem.