Unraveling multisensory integration: patchy organization within human STS multisensory cortex

Nat Neurosci. 2004 Nov;7(11):1190-2. doi: 10.1038/nn1333. Epub 2004 Oct 10.

Abstract

Although early sensory cortex is organized along dimensions encoded by receptor organs, little is known about the organization of higher areas in which different modalities are integrated. We investigated multisensory integration in human superior temporal sulcus using recent advances in parallel imaging to perform functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at very high resolution. These studies suggest a functional architecture in which information from different modalities is brought into close proximity via a patchy distribution of inputs, followed by integration in the intervening cortex.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Auditory Perception / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Somatosensory Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / blood supply
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiology*
  • Visual Perception / physiology*

Substances

  • Oxygen