Multisensory

Multisensory refers to processes that involve more than one sense, such as sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell, in perception or action. Multisensory integration describes the brain's ability to combine signals from different senses to improve accuracy, speed, or reliability of perceptual judgments. The integration is influenced by temporal coincidence and spatial correspondence; signals that are synchronized and originate from the same event are more likely to be fused.

Neural and developmental aspects: Multisensory processing engages widespread networks, including the superior temporal sulcus, intraparietal sulcus, and the superior colliculus, with multisensory neurons in some regions. Infants demonstrate multisensory processing early on and rely on congruent cues to interpret the world; sensitivity to temporal asynchrony emerges over the first years of life.

Classic demonstrations include the McGurk effect, in which visual speech information alters auditory perception, and the ventriloquist effect, where seen location biases perceived sound location. In everyday contexts, multisensory cues enhance learning, navigation, and safety.

Applications and limitations: In education and design, aligning visual, auditory, and tactile cues can enhance comprehension and retention. Marketing, virtual reality, and assistive technology also exploit multisensory cues. However, integration is not always beneficial; conflicting cues can hinder performance, and individuals vary in multisensory processing, with notable differences noted in autism spectrum conditions. Ongoing research aims to map the rules governing when and how the brain combines sensory information.