Brain, not eye mechanisms keep color vision constant across lifespan

Optical media changes with age, but neural mechanisms keep color perception constant

2013-05-09

(Press-News.org) Cone receptors in the human eye lose their color sensitivity with age, but our subjective experience of color remains largely unchanged over the years. This ability to compensate for age-related changes in color perception rests in higher levels of the visual system, according to research published May 8 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Sophie Wuerger from the University of Liverpool, UK.

The study included 185 participants aged 18 to 75 years with normal color vision, and revealed that the appearance of color remains largely unaffected by known age-related changes in the optical media within the lens, but the ability to distinguish between small differences in shades of colors decreases with increasing age, particularly for colors on the yellow-blue axis. The effects of age were most apparent when participants viewed shades of green in daylight- what appeared uniquely green to younger observers appeared more yellowish to older viewers. The author concludes that certain neural pathways compensate for age-related losses in the eye, so color functions remain largely constant over time.

"We found that colour vision remains fairly constant across the life span, despite the known age-related yellowing of the lens," says Wuerger. "This suggests that the visual brain re-calibrates itself as we get older."

### Citation: Wuerger S (2013) Colour Constancy Across the Life Span: Evidence for Compensatory Mechanisms. PLoS ONE 8(5): e63921. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063921

Financial Disclosure: The equipment has been supported by the Wellcome Trust (GR/080205). The data collection was supported by a Spanish research project, Spanish Ministry of Science (TIN2008-04998.) The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063921

Disclaimer: This press release refers to upcoming articles in PLOS ONE. The releases have been provided by the article authors and/or journal staff. Any opinions expressed in these are the personal views of the contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLOS. PLOS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the release and article and your use of such information. About PLOS ONE: PLOS ONE is the first journal of primary research from all areas of science to employ a combination of peer review and post-publication rating and commenting, to maximize the impact of every report it publishes. PLOS ONE is published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS), the open-access publisher whose goal is to make the world's scientific and medical literature a public resource.

All works published in PLOS ONE are Open Access. Everything is immediately available—to read, download, redistribute, include in databases and otherwise use—without cost to anyone, anywhere, subject only to the condition that the original authors and source are properly attributed. For more information about PLOS ONE relevant to journalists, bloggers and press officers, including details of our press release process and our embargo policy, see the everyONE blog at http://everyone.plos.org/media. END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

In ancient China, sago palms were major plant food prior to rice cultivation

2013-05-09

Before rice cultivation became prevalent, ancient populations on the southern coast of China likely relied on sago palms as staple plant foods, according to research published May 8 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Xiaoyan Yang and colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China. Little is known about prehistoric diets of those who lived in southern subtropical China, as the acidic soils and humid climate of the region cause poor preservation of plant remains. Though literature and archaeological discoveries have suggested that roots and tubers ...

Astronomers discover surprising clutch of hydrogen clouds lurking among our galactic neighbors

2013-05-09

In a dark, starless patch of intergalactic space, astronomers have discovered a never-before-seen cluster of hydrogen clouds strewn between two nearby galaxies, Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33). The researchers speculate that these rarefied blobs of gas -- each about as massive as a dwarf galaxy -- condensed out of a vast and as-yet undetected reservoir of hot, ionized gas, which could have accompanied an otherwise invisible band of dark matter. The astronomers detected these objects using the National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope (GBT) at the National ...

Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified

2013-05-09

SEATTLE – Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington scientists have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes. These immune cells also play a role in suppressing symptoms of genital herpes, which is why most sufferers of the disease are asymptomatic when viral reactivations occur. The discovery of this subtype of immune cells, called CD8αα+ T cells, opens a new avenue of research to develop a vaccine ...

Discovery of gene mutation causing Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope

2013-05-09

(Baltimore, MD) – In new findings published on May 8, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine (Epub ahead of print), researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute reveal the discovery of the cause – a genetic mutation that occurs before birth – of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and port-wine stain birthmarks. SWS is a rare disorder affecting approximately one in 20,000 births, while port-wine birthmarks are more common, affecting approximately one million individuals in the United States. "This is a complete game changer for those with Sturge-Weber syndrome and the ...

Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies

2013-05-09

In biology, we often think of natural selection and survival of the fittest. What about survival of the luckiest? Like pioneers in search of a better life, bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities, known as biofilms. It turns out that a lucky few bacteria become the elite cells that start the colonies, and they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to the distribution of wealth in the U.S. economy, according to a new study by researchers at UCLA, Northwestern University and the University of Washington. The study, ...

Fun and friends help ease the pain of breast cancer

2013-05-09

OAKLAND, Calif., May 9 — Breast cancer patients who say they have people with whom they have a good time, or have "positive social interactions" with, are better able to deal with pain and other physical symptoms, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published today in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. "This study provides research-based evidence that social support helps with physical symptoms," said lead author Candyce H. Kroenke, ScD, MPH, staff scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. "Social support mechanisms matter in terms of physical ...

New Red List developed for threatened ecosystems

2013-05-09

Scientists have developed a new Red List system for identifying ecosystems at high risk of degradation, similar to the influential Red List for the world's threatened species. The team carrying out the research was convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and led by Professor David Keith, of the University of New South Wales and the NSW Office of Environment. The study, which illustrates how the framework for risk assessment applies to 20 ecosystems around the world, including eight in Australia, is published today in the Public Library of Science ...

Engineered spider toxin could be the future of anti-venom vaccines

2013-05-09

Amsterdam, May 9, 2013 - New engineered spider protein could be the start of a new generation of anti-venom vaccines, potentially saving thousands of lives worldwide. The new protein, created from parts of a toxin from the reaper spider, is described today in the Elsevier journal Vaccine. The researchers behind the study, from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil, say that the engineered protein may be a promising candidate for developing therapeutic serums or vaccines against other venoms. Reaper spiders, or brown spiders, are a family of species found ...

Mass. General, Duke study identifies 2 genes that combine to cause rare syndrome

2013-05-09

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Duke University have identified genetic mutations that appear to underlie a rare but devastating syndrome combining reproductive failure with cerebellar ataxia – a lack of muscle coordination – and dementia. In a paper that will appear in the May 23 New England Journal of Medicine and is receiving early online release, the investigators describe finding mutations in one or both of two genes involved in a cellular process called ubiquitination in affected members of five unrelated families. "This study highlights, ...

U Alberta researcher identifies 4 dinosaur species

2013-05-09

(Edmonton) Just when dinosaur researchers thought they had a thorough knowledge of ankylosaurs, a family of squat, armour plated, plant eaters, along comes University of Alberta graduate student, Victoria Arbour. Arbour visited dinosaur fossil collections from Alberta to the U.K. examining skull armour and comparing those head details with other features of the fossilized ankylosaur remains. She made a breakthrough that resurrected research done more than 70 years ago. Arbour explains that between 1900 and 1930 researchers had determined that small variations in the ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study shows psychedelic drug psilocybin gives comparable long-term antidepressant effects to standard antidepressants, but may offer additional benefits

Study finds symptoms of depression during pregnancy linked to specific brain activity: scientists hope to develop test for “baby blues” risk

UK study shows there is less stigma against LGBTQ people than you might think, but people with mental health problems continue to experience higher levels of stigma