Visual consciousness explained by its impairments.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The scientific study of the visual consciousness has been marked by significant recent achievements, resulting from an interaction between the exploration of cognition in both brain-damaged patients and healthy individuals. Several neuropsychological syndromes contain marked dissociations which permit the identification of principles related to the neurophysiology of consciousness. The generality of these principles can then be evaluated in healthy individuals using a combination of experimental psychology paradigms, and functional brain-imaging tools.

RECENT FINDINGS: In this article, I review major findings originating from the exploration of neuropsychological syndromes such as 'blindsight', visual form agnosia, optic ataxia, and neglect, and explain how they can be accounted for by a 'global workspace' model.

SUMMARY: These results constitute important constraints for neural theories of consciousness, and they are crucial to help clinicians handle patients affected with complex neurovisual disorders.