[Texture discrimination and visual search: development, learning and plasticity].

BACKGROUND

The abilities to segment coherent surfaces out of a discrepant background (texture segmentation) and to localize single objects out of a complex scene (visual search) are believed to occur at a peripheral level in the cortical visual pathway.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Are texture segmentation and visual search innate or acquired? Can these abilities be improved in adulthood by learning? Does a disturbed early visual experience (strabismus, amblyopia) lead to a reduction of these abilities?

RESULTS

Texture segmentation and visual search undergo a protracted development which continues well into adulthood. Even in adult observers, these abilities can be improved with practice. Learning is enduring, but not specific: It can be transferred from one task to another and between the two eyes of a given subject (including the two eyes of stereoblind subjects).

DISCUSSION

We conclude that learning of texture segmentation and visual search does not involve the specific features of a visual scene, but rather reflects an improved strategy of localizing visual objects in a cluttered environment. This type of learning probably occurs at a very high level of cortical processing.