Proprioceptive cues modulate further processing of spatially congruent auditory information. a high-density EEG study.
Multisensory integration and interaction occur when bimodal stimuli are presented as either spatially congruent or incongruent, but temporally coincident. We investigated whether proprioceptive cues interact with auditory attention to one of two sound sources in free-field. The participant's task was to attend to either the left or right speaker and to respond to occasional increased-bandwidth targets via a footswitch. We recorded high-density EEG in three experimental conditions: the participants either held the speakers in their hands (Hold), reached out close to them (Reach), or had their hands in their lap (Lap). In the last two conditions, the auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed a prominent negativity around 200 ms post-stimulus (N2 wave) over fronto-central areas, which is a reliable index of further processing of spatial stimulus features in free-field. The N2 wave was markedly attenuated in the 'Hold' condition, which suggests that proprioceptive cues apparently solidify spatial information computed by the auditory system, in so doing alleviating the need for further processing of spatial coordinates solely based on auditory information.
Simon-Dack
S L
SL
North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA. stephanie.simon-dack@ndsu.edu
Teder-Sälejärvi
W A
WA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D013028:Space Perception
D010100:Oxygen