HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 98/1/545    most recent 00173.2007v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Allman, B. L. Articles by Meredith, M. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Allman, B. L. Articles by Meredith, M. A.

REPORT

Multisensory Processing in "Unimodal" Neurons: Cross-Modal Subthreshold Auditory Effects in Cat Extrastriate Visual Cortex

Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia

Submitted 15 February 2007; accepted in final form 1 May 2007

Historically, the study of multisensory processing has examined the function of the definitive neuron type, the bimodal neuron. These neurons are excited by inputs from more than one sensory modality, and when multisensory stimuli are present, they can integrate their responses in a predictable manner. However, recent studies have revealed that multisensory processing in the cortex is not restricted to bimodal neurons. The present investigation sought to examine the potential for multisensory processing in nonbimodal (unimodal) neurons in the retinotopically organized posterolateral lateral suprasylvian (PLLS) area of the cat. Standard extracellular recordings were used to measure responses of all neurons encountered to both separate- and combined-modality stimulation. Whereas bimodal neurons behaved as predicted, the surprising result was that 16% of unimodal visual neurons encountered were significantly facilitated by auditory stimuli. Because these unimodal visual neurons did not respond to an auditory stimulus presented alone but had their visual responses modulated by concurrent auditory stimulation, they represent a new form of multisensory neuron: the subthreshold multisensory neuron. These data also demonstrate that bimodal neurons can no longer be regarded as the exclusive basis for multisensory processing.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Vachon-Presseau and L. Henry The Influences of Associative Cortices on Cross-Modal Integration in the Superior Colliculus J. Neurosci., February 20, 2008; 28(8): 1787 - 1788. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. L. Allman, R. E. Bittencourt-Navarrete, L. P. Keniston, A. E. Medina, M. Y. Wang, and M. A. Meredith Do Cross-Modal Projections Always Result in Multisensory Integration? Cereb Cortex, January 17, 2008; (2008) bhm230v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]