People born deaf develop super-vision, study claims

PEOPLE deaf from birth may develop "super-vision" that helps them spot and track moving objects, research has shown.

Scientists believe the brain adapts to the loss of hearing by rewiring itself to compensate through sight.

Parts of the brain that locate sound sources learn to do the same job using vision instead.

Researchers made the discovery by studying cats - the only animal apart from human beings that can be born deaf.

People who are born deaf or blind often report their remaining senses being enhanced.

Study leader Dr Stephen Lomber, from the Centre for Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, said: "The brain is very efficient, and doesn't let unused space go to waste. The brain wants to compensate for the lost sense with enhancements that are beneficial. For example, if you're deaf, you would benefit by seeing a car coming far off in your peripheral vision, because you can't hear that car approaching from the side; the same with being able to more accurately detect how fast something is moving."

The findings are reported online today in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Dr Lomber and his team are conducting the research to improve understanding of how the brain handles cochlear implants, that can help the profoundly deaf hear again.

One question they want to answer is if the brain rewires itself to compensate for loss of hearing, what happens when hearing is restored? "The analogy I use is, if you weren't using your cottage and lent it to a friend, that friend gets comfortable, maybe rearranges the furniture, and settles in," said Dr Lomber. "They may not want to leave just because you've come back."