Neurofacts: Motion Blindness

Imagine seeing the world around you as though it were a series of snap shots frozen in time. This is the experience of people living with a very rare neuropsychological condition known as akinetopsia or motion blindness.

Motion blindness can occur due to damage to a specific part of the brain that processes visual information known as V5 of the visual cortex. This area of the brain is responsible for detecting movement and contains brain cells that are highly specialised at doing so. When this area is damaged people are no longer able to see movement even though they can see a stationary object just fine.

Some people with motion blindness may see movement like they are watching stop motion cinema frames. Other people with the condition can not see any movement at all and may perceive things to be “frozen” in time.

As you could imagine, this condition can make navigating the world very challenging.

How the world may appear for someone experiencing motion blindness

Things like crossing the street become very difficult if you can’t detect the motion of cars to know how far away they are. Even pouring a cup of coffee without overflowing is tricky if you can’t see the level of liquid rise in the cup. Imagine trying to play a game of soccer when you can’t detect the movement of the ball in real-time!

For researchers, studying patients with akinetopsia has deepened understanding of how our brains and visual system work. Unfortunately there is currently no treatment for this incredibly rare condition. However, raising awareness and understanding may help those who are affected.

Get in touch with us at Thinking Mind Neuropsychology if you would like to know more about how your brain functions.

Email: contact@tmneuropsych.com.au