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Interhemispheric control of sensory cue integration and self-motion perception
Qadeer Arshad1, Marta Casanovas Ortega2, Usman Goga2
1Division of Brain Sciences, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8RF, UK; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Neuroscience
|April 27, 2019
Summary
Interhemispheric asymmetries in the posterior parietal cortex influence how the brain integrates visual and vestibular information. This brain processing impacts visual dependence and self-motion perception, crucial for spatial orientation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Integration
- Spatial Orientation
Background:
- Spatial orientation relies on integrating visual and vestibular cues for self-motion perception.
- Neural mechanisms of sensory integration are not fully understood.
- Interhemispheric asymmetries in posterior parietal cortex (PPC) affect spatial orientation and vestibular thresholds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sensory integration is influenced by interhemispheric influences.
- To explore the relationship between vestibulo-cortical dominance and visual dependence.
- To assess the impact of vestibulo-cortical dominance on self-motion perception.
Main Methods:
- Assessed vestibulo-cortical dominance using vestibular-nystagmus suppression post-transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the PPC.
- Measured visual dependence during a sensory integration task (rod-and-disk).
- Correlated visual dependence measures with self-motion perception (vection) in healthy subjects.
Main Results:
- Visual dependence correlated with vestibulo-cortical dominance; greater right hemispheric dominance showed reduced visual dependence.
- Right-handed individuals experienced illusory self-motion (vection) faster than left-handers.
- Vestibulo-cortical dominance correlated with vection timing during interhemispheric conflict conditions.
Conclusions:
- Interhemispheric asymmetries in PPC vestibulo-cortical processing link sensory integration and self-motion perception.
- This processing is crucial for spatial orientation.
- Dynamic interhemispheric competition influences human vestibular behavior.
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