Neuron-specific response characteristics predict the magnitude of multisensory integration

Multisensory neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) typically respond to combinations of stimuli from multiple modalities with enhancements and/or depressions in their activity. Although such changes in response have been shown to follow a predictive set of integrative principles, these principles fail to completely account for the full range of interactions seen throughout the SC population. In an effort to better define this variability, we sought to determine if there were additional features of the neuronal response profile that were predictive of the magnitude of the multisensory interaction. To do this, we recorded from 109 visual-auditory SC neurons while systematically manipulating stimulus intensity. Along with the previously described roles of space, time, and stimulus effectiveness, two features of a neuron's response profile were found to offer predictive value as to the magnitude of the multisensory interaction: spontaneous activity and the level of sensory responsiveness. Multisensory neurons with little or no spontaneous activity and weak sensory responses had the capacity to exhibit large response enhancements. Conversely, neurons with modest spontaneous activity and robust sensory responses exhibited relatively small response enhancements. Together, these results provide a better view into multisensory integration, and suggest substantial heterogeneity in the integrative characteristics of the multisensory SC population.