Cited by 219Multisensory perception and integrationVisual perception and processing mechanismsTactile and Sensory Interactions

The multisensory function of the human primary visual cortex

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Murray, Micah M., Thelen, Antonia, Thut, Gregor, Romei, Vincenzo, Martuzzi, Roberto, Matusz, Pawel J.·2016·Neuropsychologia

Abstract

It has been nearly 10 years since Ghazanfar and Schroeder (2006) proposed that the neocortex is essentially multisensory in nature. However, it is only recently that sufficient and hard evidence that supports this proposal has accrued. We review evidence that activity within the human primary visual cortex plays an active role in multisensory processes and directly impacts behavioural outcome. This evidence emerges from a full pallet of human brain imaging and brain mapping methods with which multisensory processes are quantitatively assessed by taking advantage of particular strengths of each technique as well as advances in signal analyses. Several general conclusions about multisensory processes in primary visual cortex of humans are supported relatively solidly. First, haemodynamic methods (fMRI/PET) show that there is both convergence and integration occurring within primary visual cortex. Second, primary visual cortex is involved in multisensory processes during early post-stimulus stages (as revealed by EEG/ERP/ERFs as well as TMS). Third, multisensory effects in primary visual cortex directly impact behaviour and perception, as revealed by correlational (EEG/ERPs/ERFs) as well as more causal measures (TMS/tACS). While the provocative claim of Ghazanfar and Schroeder (2006) that the whole of neocortex is multisensory in function has yet to be demonstrated, this can now be considered established in the case of the human primary visual cortex.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.08.011

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  • The brain can partially restore function with input from other senses.

    “The brain is not just a sensory-machine that responds separately to specific stimuli or sensory modalities but rather a complex “task-machine”, that can partially restore function with input from other senses (Maidenbaum et al., 2014a; Murray et al., 2016).”

    From Designing sensory-substitution devices: Principles, pitfalls and potential1 (2016) · cites this paper as Murray et al., 2016

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  1. Cohen, L.G., Weeks, R.A., Sadato, N., Celnik, P., Ishii, K., Hallett, M. (1999). Period of susceptibility for cross-modal plasticity in the blind. Annals of Neurology, 45(4), 451-60.
  2. Murray, M. M., Cappe, C., Romei, V., Martuzzi, R., and Thut, G. (2012). Auditory-visual multisensory interactions in humans: A synthesis of findings from behavior, ERPs, fMRI, and TMS. In: The New Handbook of Multisensory Processes , ed. B.E. Stein (MIT Press), 223-238.

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Authors
Murray, M. M., Thelen, A., Thut, G., Romei, V., Martuzzi, R., & Matusz, P. J.
Affiliations
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CH)
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center (US)
  • University of Glasgow (GB)
  • University of Essex (GB)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
Corresponding author
Murray, Micah M.
Venue
Neuropsychologia
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-03
Volume
83
Pages
161-169
ISSN
0028-3932 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1423823652
Cited by
219
References
143
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 5 · 2013: 1
FWCI
2.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychologia (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Open Access at Essex (University of Essex) (acceptedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (320030-149982)
  • Wellcome Trust (098434)
  • National Centre of Competence in Research Robotics (51AU40-125759)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
Keywords
primary visual cortex, multisensory integration, multisensory convergence, visual perception, transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation, event-related potentials, functional MRI, PET, EEG, brain mapping
MeSH terms
Afferent Pathways, Brain Mapping, Humans, Perception, Physical Stimulation, Visual Cortex, Neuroimaging

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