A modality-independent proto-organization of human multisensory areas

Francesca Setti, Giacomo Handjaras, Davide Bottari, Andrea Leo, Matteo Diano, Valentina Bruno, Carla Tinti, Luca Cecchetti, Francesca Garbarini, Pietro Pietrini and Emiliano Ricciardi ()
Additional contact information
Francesca Setti: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
Giacomo Handjaras: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
Davide Bottari: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
Andrea Leo: University of Pisa
Matteo Diano: University of Turin
Valentina Bruno: University of Turin
Carla Tinti: University of Turin
Luca Cecchetti: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
Francesca Garbarini: University of Turin
Pietro Pietrini: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca
Emiliano Ricciardi: MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca

Nature Human Behaviour, 2023, vol. 7, issue 3, 397-410

Abstract: Abstract The processing of multisensory information is based upon the capacity of brain regions, such as the superior temporal cortex, to combine information across modalities. However, it is still unclear whether the representation of coherent auditory and visual events requires any prior audiovisual experience to develop and function. Here we measured brain synchronization during the presentation of an audiovisual, audio-only or video-only version of the same narrative in distinct groups of sensory-deprived (congenitally blind and deaf) and typically developed individuals. Intersubject correlation analysis revealed that the superior temporal cortex was synchronized across auditory and visual conditions, even in sensory-deprived individuals who lack any audiovisual experience. This synchronization was primarily mediated by low-level perceptual features, and relied on a similar modality-independent topographical organization of slow temporal dynamics. The human superior temporal cortex is naturally endowed with a functional scaffolding to yield a common representation across multisensory events.

Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01507-3 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nathum:v:7:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1038_s41562-022-01507-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/

DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01507-3

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Human Behaviour is currently edited by Stavroula Kousta

More articles in Nature Human Behaviour from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().