Deaf News: Study reveals deaf people feel touch in ‘hearing’ part of brain

A study has revealed that deaf people sense touch differently to hearing people, using the part of the brain typically used for auditory processing.

The study by researchers at the University of Oregon is published in the July 11 online issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, and more broadly, reveals how the early loss of a sense affects brain development.

As this article on Science Daily says: ‘[The study shows] that deaf people use the auditory cortex to process touch stimuli and visual stimuli to a much greater degree than occurs in hearing people. The finding suggests that since the developing auditory cortex of profoundly deaf people is not exposed to sound stimuli, it adapts and takes on additional sensory processing tasks.’

Read the full article on Science Daily here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120710171733.htm