Experimental Brain Research

, Volume 195, Issue 4, pp 509–517 | Cite as

TMS modulation of visual and auditory processing in the posterior parietal cortex

  • Nadia Bolognini
  • Carlo Miniussi
  • Silvia Savazzi
  • Emanuela Bricolo
  • Angelo Maravita
Research Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Audio-visual stimuli typically yield faster responses than isolated modality-specific ones. This crossmodal speed advantage depends upon efficient multisensory integration mechanisms in the brain. Here, we used repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to address the role of the posterior parietal cortex, in particular of the inferior parietal lobule (IPL), in speeding up responses to crossmodal stimuli. The results show that rTMS over IPL impairs the response to contralateral modality-specific visual and auditory targets without affecting the response speed advantage following audio-visual targets. Furthermore, this speed advantage is subserved by a neural coactivation mechanism suggesting a summation in a given neural site. Control rTMS over V1 impaired only contralateral visual responses without affecting the response to auditory or audio-visual targets. These results suggest that the response speed advantage for crossmodal targets is maintained in spite of the IPL interference that impairs modality-specific responses. The possible role of alternative sites for the audio-visual advantage, such as the superior colliculus, is discussed.

Keywords

Multisensory Superior colliculus Parietal cortex Auditory Visual rTMS 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the Ministero Italiano dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica (MIUR) to AM. We thank A. Pascual-Leone and B.E. Stein for insightful discussions and Carlo Toneatto for technical assistance.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nadia Bolognini
    • 1
  • Carlo Miniussi
    • 2
    • 3
  • Silvia Savazzi
    • 4
    • 5
  • Emanuela Bricolo
    • 1
  • Angelo Maravita
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PsychologyUniversity of Milano-BicoccaMilanItaly
  2. 2.Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, National Institute of NeuroscienceUniversity of BresciaBresciaItaly
  3. 3.Cognitive Neuroscience SectionIRCCS San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
  4. 4.Department of Neurological and Vision SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
  5. 5.National Institute of NeuroscienceUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly

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