Research Shows How Deaf Cats' Brains Re-Purpose Auditory Centers

An anonymous reader writes "Deaf or blind people often report enhanced abilities in their remaining senses, but up until now, no one has explained how and why that could be. Researchers at the University of Western Ontario, led by Stephen Lomber of The Centre for Brain and Mind, have discovered there is a causal link between enhanced visual abilities and reorganization of the part of the brain that usually handles auditory input in congenitally deaf cats. The findings, published online in Nature Neuroscience, provide insight into the plasticity that may occur in the brains of deaf people."

Comments

Re:God's no dummy

[cpscotti]

It also makes sense to make everybody beautiful, freaking intelligent and in love with each other. But still, seems god isn't the owner of that good sense you refer to.

Re:My cat isn't deaf

[StikyPad]

I once performed a similar experiment where I set up a can opener in the backyard with a dish of cat food next to it and left the can opener running. I then used the cats for target practice with my paintball gun. I know you're thinking... a paintball could still cause serious injury, especially to a small animal, which is why I waited till they had taken a bite of the poisoned cat food before I shot them.

Anyway, the experiment successfully confirmed the hypothesis that I hate cats.