Developmental Plasticity in Multisensory Representations
Multiple Paper Presentation

Mark Wallace
Neurobiology & Anatomy, Wake Forest Univ Sch Med

     Abstract ID Number: 15

Abstract
Multisensory neurons and multisensory integration develop gradually during postnatal life, suggesting that the sensory experiences received during this period shape the maturation of multisensory processes. To directly test this hypothesis, we have raised animals in sensory environments in which visual-nonvisual cross-modal experiences are altered. An examination of both subcortical (i.e., superior colliculus [SC]) and cortical (i.e., anterior ectosylvian sulcus [AES]) structures following such rearing reveals a marked impact on multisensory development. Whereas manipulating sensory experience has little impact on the appearance of multisensory neurons in SC and AES, the type of manipulation has striking consequences for multisensory integration. Whereas eliminating visual-nonvisual experience abolishes multisensory integration, raising animals in an environment in which visual-auditory cues are always physically separate alters the spatial constraints of multisensory integration. In contrast to these findings, if multisensory experiences are altered in adulthood, there is little discernible impact on multisensory processes. Together, these results highlight the importance of the sensory experiences received during early postnatal life in the functional maturation of multisensory processes.

To be Presented at the Following Symposium:
Within-modal vs. cross-modal processes: neurons, behavior and clinical studies
Other papers in this Symposium:

• Terrence Stanford
  Wake Forest Univ. Sch. of Med.
  *Benjamin Rowland
  Wake Forest Univ. Sch. of Med.
  *Barry Stein
  Wake Forest Univ. Sch. of Med.
  Modeling the Biophysical Basis of Multisensory Integration in the Superior Colliculus
• Nadia Bolognini
  Department of Psychology University of Bologna
  Multisensory localization of sounds: behavioral and neuropsychological evidences.