Correlation detection as a general mechanism for multisensory integration

The brain efficiently processes multisensory information by selectively combining related signals across the continuous stream of multisensory inputs. To do so, it needs to detect correlation, lag and synchrony across the senses; optimally integrate related information; and dynamically adapt to spat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2016-06, Vol.7 (1), p.11543-11543, Article 11543
Main Authors: Parise, Cesare V., Ernst, Marc O.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/378/2571/2572
631/378/2620
Acoustic Stimulation
Adult
Auditory Perception - physiology
Computer Simulation
Correspondence
Cues
Female
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Input output
Judgment
Male
Models, Neurological
Motion detectors
multidisciplinary
Neurosciences
Photic Stimulation
Reproducibility of Results
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Sensation
Senses
Time Factors
Visual Perception - physiology
Young Adult
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Summary:The brain efficiently processes multisensory information by selectively combining related signals across the continuous stream of multisensory inputs. To do so, it needs to detect correlation, lag and synchrony across the senses; optimally integrate related information; and dynamically adapt to spatiotemporal conflicts across the senses. Here we show that all these aspects of multisensory perception can be jointly explained by postulating an elementary processing unit akin to the Hassenstein–Reichardt detector—a model originally developed for visual motion perception. This unit, termed the multisensory correlation detector (MCD), integrates related multisensory signals through a set of temporal filters followed by linear combination. Our model can tightly replicate human perception as measured in a series of empirical studies, both novel and previously published. MCDs provide a unified general theory of multisensory processing, which simultaneously explains a wide spectrum of phenomena with a simple, yet physiologically plausible model. The human brain integrates inputs across multiple sensory streams into a unified percept. Here Parise and Ernst present a model that assesses the correlation, lag and synchrony of multisensory stimuli, and predicts psychophysical performance on multisensory temporal and spatial tasks.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms11543