REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neuro-Ophthalmology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1590305
This article is part of the Research TopicNew Concepts, Advances, and Future Trends in Clinical Research on Eye DiseasesView all 46 articles
Multisensory integration, brain plasticity and optogenetics in visual rehabilitation
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
- 2Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genova, Liguria, Italy
- 3Consultant, Catania, Italy
- 4Fidia Pharmaceuticals, Ophthalmology Research c/o Catania University (retired), Catania, Italy
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Multisensory integration enables the brain to integrate information from different sensory modalities while enhancing perception. This principle relies on phenomena of neuroplasticity (i.e., the ability of neuronal networks in the brain to adapt to changing environmental conditions) and is crucial for visual rehabilitation, particularly in hemianopia and retinal degeneration. Here we review emerging experimental approaches and their translational potential for vision recovery in visually impaired patients. Rehabilitation strategies incorporating multisensory training, optogenetics, and pharmacological interventions have demonstrated to be instrumental in restoring visual function by leveraging plasticity of inputs from different sensory modalities. Emerging technologies such as virtual reality and auditory-visual stimulation further optimize neural reorganization. Future research should focus on refining these interventions to enhance sensory compensation and recovery. Understanding the role of multisensory ganglion cells and retinal circuits may unlock new strategies for improving visual function in visually impaired individuals.
Keywords: multisensory areas, brain plasticity, visual rehabilitation, optogenetics, Cross-modality
Received: 14 Mar 2025; Accepted: 23 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lucchesi, Maya-Vetencourt and Rusciano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Dario Rusciano, Consultant, Catania, Italy
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.