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Neural mechanisms underlying touch-induced visual perceptual suppression: An fMRI study
Masakazu Ide1,2, Souta Hidaka3, Hanako Ikeda1
1Developmental Disorders Section, Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1, Namiki, Tokorozawa-shi, Saitama, 359-8555 Japan.
Scientific Reports
|November 23, 2016
Summary
Touch can suppress vision, a phenomenon known as touch-induced visual perceptual suppression (TIVS). This study explored the neural basis of TIVS, finding inhibitory responses in the visual cortex are linked to individual differences in this crossmodal interaction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory processing
- Crossmodal interactions
Background:
- Crossmodal studies reveal both inhibitory and facilitatory neural effects in sensory cortices.
- Previous research identified touch-induced visual perceptual suppression (TIVS) in human behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the neural mechanisms underlying visuo-tactile interactions.
- Analyze individual differences in the effect of touch on visual perception.
- Examine brain activity during TIVS using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Main Methods:
- Utilized fMRI to measure brain activity during visuo-tactile stimulation.
- Assessed individual differences in touch's effect on vision (suppression or enhancement).
- Focused on participants with measurable TIVS to analyze neural correlates.
Main Results:
- Larger inhibitory responses in the anterior visual cortex (V1, V2) correlated with higher TIVS magnitude for spatially congruent stimuli.
- Increased activation in the right anterior superior temporal region, including the secondary somatosensory cortex, was associated with higher TIVS.
- Individual differences in TIVS were observed, with some participants showing suppression and others enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Inhibitory neural modulations from somatosensory to visual cortices may underlie TIVS.
- The findings highlight the role of inhibitory neural responses in the visual cortex during crossmodal interactions.
- Individual variations in visuo-tactile processing influence the direction and magnitude of neural effects.
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