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Multisensory connections of monkey auditory cerebral cortex.
John F Smiley1, Arnaud Falchier
1Cognitive Neuroscience and Schizophrenia Program, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA. smiley@nki.rfmh.org
Hearing Research
|July 22, 2009
Summary
The auditory cortex processes more than just sound, receiving input from touch and vision. Research reveals multiple brain regions potentially contributing these multisensory signals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Cortex Research
- Multisensory Integration
Background:
- Functional studies reveal multisensory responses in the auditory cortex, including primary and early association areas.
- Somatosensory and visual inputs suggest the auditory cortex is involved in spatial, temporal, and object perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify potential sources of somatosensory and visual inputs to the auditory cortex.
- To understand the neural pathways underlying multisensory integration in the auditory cortex.
Main Methods:
- Tract tracing studies in non-human primates were used to map connections.
- Analysis of functional studies demonstrating multisensory responses.
Main Results:
- Identified potential somatosensory inputs from retroinsular (RI) and granular insula (Ig) cortical areas, and the thalamic posterior (PO) nucleus.
- Identified potential visual inputs from areas V2, prostriata, superior temporal polysensory area (STP), and the magnocellular medial geniculate thalamic nucleus (MGm).
- Highlighted other thalamic, limbic, and cortical structures as potential cross-modal input sources.
Conclusions:
- Tract tracing reveals numerous potential extrinsic sources for somatosensory and visual inputs to the auditory cortex.
- The functional significance of these identified connections requires further experimental confirmation.
- Multisensory modulation of the auditory cortex is likely mediated by multiple extrinsic pathways.
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