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Multiscale Investigations of Cortical Processing by Integrating Laminar Polytrodes and Optogenetics with Micro Electrocorticography in Rodents

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Peripheral sounds rapidly activate visual cortex: evidence from electrocorticography.

David Brang¹, Vernon L Towle², Satoru Suzuki³

¹Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois; Department of Neurology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and dbrang@gmail.com.

Journal of Neurophysiology

|September 4, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sounds rapidly activate the primary visual cortex (PVC) within 28 ms, even without visual input. This cross-modal auditory-visual processing occurs in specific brain regions, suggesting fast subcortical or direct cortical pathways.

Keywords:

ECoG auditory localization intracranial multisensory

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Auditory-Visual Sensory Integration

Background:

Animal studies indicate sound influences primary visual cortex (PVC) activity during visual stimulation.
Human neuroimaging shows sound modulates visual areas without visual stimuli, but lacks spatial and temporal precision.
Limitations in noninvasive methods hinder understanding of rapid auditory-evoked visual cortex activation and information transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the speed and spatial specificity of auditory-evoked activity in human primary visual cortex.
To determine if sounds can activate the PVC rapidly and without concurrent visual stimulation or task demands.

Main Methods:

Utilized depth electrodes in humans to obtain precise local synaptic activity measurements.
Recorded responses to peripherally presented sounds.

Main Results:

Demonstrated that sounds evoke activity in the anterior portion of the contralateral calcarine sulcus within 28 ms of sound onset.
Observed no significant activation in the ipsilateral calcarine sulcus.
Confirmed rapid, spatially specific auditory activation of the PVC in the absence of visual stimuli or tasks.

Conclusions:

Auditory stimuli can rapidly trigger spatially specific neural activity in the primary visual cortex.
This rapid activation, occurring within 28 ms, suggests involvement of subcortical pathways or direct auditory-to-visual cortical projections.
Findings challenge previous notions by showing direct, rapid cross-modal influence on early visual processing.