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Spatial auditory attention is modulated by tactile priming

Experimental Brain Research volume 164, pages 41–47 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that cross-modal processing affects perception at a variety of neuronal levels. In this study, event-related brain responses were recorded via whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG). Spatial auditory attention was directed via tactile pre-cues (primes) to one of four locations in the peripersonal space (left and right hand versus face). Auditory stimuli were white noise bursts, convoluted with head-related transfer functions, which ensured spatial perception of the four locations. Tactile primes (200–300 ms prior to acoustic onset) were applied randomly to one of these locations. Attentional load was controlled by three different visual distraction tasks. The auditory P50m (about 50 ms after stimulus onset) showed a significant “proximity” effect (larger responses to face stimulation as well as a “contralaterality” effect between side of stimulation and hemisphere). The tactile primes essentially reduced both the P50m and N100m components. However, facial tactile pre-stimulation yielded an enhanced ipsilateral N100m. These results show that earlier responses are mainly governed by exogenous stimulus properties whereas cross-sensory interaction is spatially selective at a later (endogenous) processing stage.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Maike Borutta for technical assistance, Jürgen Dax for support with the stimulation software, and Nell Zink for adjusting the manuscript to native English.

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Affiliations

  1. MEG Center, Center for Neurology, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 47, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Hans Menning, Hermann Ackermann & Ingo Hertrich

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH University Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Klaus Mathiak

Authors
  1. Hans Menning
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  2. Hermann Ackermann
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  3. Ingo Hertrich
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  4. Klaus Mathiak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Klaus Mathiak.

Additional information

This research has been supported by the DaimlerChrysler AG, DARPA’s “AugCog” program, and the German Research Foundation DFG (SFB 550/B1).

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Menning, H., Ackermann, H., Hertrich, I. et al. Spatial auditory attention is modulated by tactile priming. Exp Brain Res 164, 41–47 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-004-2212-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-004-2212-7

Keywords

  • Auditory Spatial Attention
  • Tactile-Auditory Interaction
  • Cross-modal
  • Magnetoencephalography
  • Multisensory
  • Virtual Space