Blindsight, conscious vision, and the role of primary visual cortex

Abstract

What is the role the primary visual cortex (V1) in vision? Is it necessary for conscious sight, as indicated by the cortical blindness that results from V1 destruction? Is it even necessary for blindsight, the nonreflexive visual functions that can be evoked with stimuli presented to cortically blind fields? In the context of this controversial issue, I present evidence indicating that not only is blindsight possible, but that conscious vision may, to a varying degree, return to formerly blind fields with time and practice even in cases where functional neuroimaging reveals no V1 activation.