Dorsal and ventral streams are major subdivisions in brain function. The ventral stream processes meaning while the dorsal stream translates perception into action. Neurological diseases reveal how the dorsal stream can function without our awareness. In the film Awakenings, a patient with encephalitis lethargica appears completely unresponsive. However, she displays an ability to react when a ball is thrown, suggesting her dorsal stream's involvement. The film illustrates the complexities of consciousness and the duality of perception and action in the brain.
In his book, Awakenings, Sacks describes their condition: "They would be conscious and aware - yet not fully awake; they would sit motionless and speechless all day...as passive as zombies."
In the critical scene from the movie, Williams holds a pair of reading glasses just in front of the woman's face, prompting her to catch them. This indicates the dorsal stream's ability to translate perception into action.
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