Careful whispers: when sounds feel like a touch
1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL, 17 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AZ, UK.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|June 19, 2021
Summary
Auditory and somatosensory systems are linked, explaining why some people feel touch from sounds. This phenomenon, often experienced with audio-visual stimuli, connects sensory processing pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory processing
- Auditory and somatosensory integration
Background:
- The human brain exhibits intricate connections between auditory and somatosensory cortices.
- Cross-modal interactions are fundamental to sensory perception and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the neuroanatomical and functional basis of sensory crosstalk between auditory and somatosensory systems.
- To investigate the potential link between these neural connections and the phenomenon of experiencing tactile sensations from auditory stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies on auditory-somatosensory interactions.
- Analysis of anecdotal reports and online discussions related to sound-induced tactile sensations.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports direct and indirect anatomical pathways linking auditory and somatosensory brain regions.
- Functional connectivity studies reveal overlapping neural representations for auditory and tactile information.
- A significant portion of individuals report experiencing tactile sensations (e.g., "ASMR tingles") in response to specific auditory or audiovisual stimuli.
Conclusions:
- The integrated processing of auditory and somatosensory information provides a plausible neural substrate for sound-induced tactile experiences.
- These findings highlight the brain's capacity for cross-modal plasticity and sensory integration.
- Understanding these links may offer insights into sensory processing disorders and novel therapeutic applications.
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