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Hi Folks,
From the "And now for something completely different"
files...
I have been researching the visual phenomenon of pressure
phosphenes. These are the mini light-shows the brain interprets when one presses
on one's closed eyes. I first discovered this phenomenon as a child, rubbing
sleepy eyes with my fists and, of course, asked my father about it... He
said, at the time, that no one knew what caused the pattern to be generated the
way it was, but admitted he had experienced it himself and we compared phosphene
patterns, which were identical (black and white geometrical designs which
coalesce with one another in a big patchwork of different geometries). The
reason I bring it up here is because at a routine eye exam recently I finally
discovered the name for the phenomenon (phosphene) and the doctor said that it's
very individual, that no two people will have the same pattern, like
fingerprints. Well, since I knew this could not be the case, I decided to
research it...
I found a great website:
They are using the phenomenon to try and understand how the brain
processes visual information. The site has some artistic renderings of various
phosphene patterns (none of which match the kind I generally experience--I don't
get the central vortex they show in all of their pictures).
As they discuss on the site, pressure phosphenes are very
similar to the kind of visual disturbance that precedes a true migraine
headache, which I have only experienced twice in my life, and my father
experienced once. We both experienced the same kind of geometric patterns that
were typical of our identical phosphene pattern, except superimposed on the
normal visual field. At times, the visual field would be blank in small areas,
except for the geometric pattern, almost like the holodeck on the second Star
Trek series, when it begins to malfunction and the grid pattern of the actual
room becomes visible in patches.
I'm curious about this notion that "no two people have the same
pattern" statement of the eye doctor, given that I know of one person who saw
the same patterns as I did. So I thought a little survey was in order, for
whoever is interested.
Just to keep this more on topic; I noticed on the website,
mentioned above, that the report describes several times how the
dynamical models being used to analyze the situation give limited useful
information or the information they do give must be taken with caution
because... They are also not addressing what, to me, seem like probable
useful avenues of information... For example; I wonder if people born blind
see pressure phosphenes? If not, what about people who were blinded after the
visual cortex of the brain developed? Do their patterns differ from non-blind
people? Do the patterns each person "sees" change over time? With
physiological changes such as pregnancy? High blood
pressure? Puberty?
Any ideas from the list?
Judith
BioTheory: An E-Journal of General Science in the Rosennean Complexity
Paradigm http://www.rosen-enterprises.com/RobertRosen/BioTheoryLaunch.htm
Website address: http://www.rosen-enterprises.com/ |