While aging can lead to significant declines in perceptual and cognitive function, the effects of age on multisensory integration, process which brain combines information across senses, are less clear. Recent reports suggest that older adults susceptible sound-induced flash illusion (Shams et al., 2000) a much wider range temporal asynchronies than younger (Setti 2011). To assess whether this cost for integration is general phenomenon combining asynchronous audiovisual input, we compared...

Abstract Practice in most sensory tasks substantially improves perceptual performance. A hallmark of this 'perceptual learning' is its specificity for the basic attributes trained stimulus and task. Recent studies have challenged learned improvements, although transfer between different has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we measure degree three distinct tasks. Participants on an orientation discrimination, a curvature or 'global form' task, all using stimuli comprised multiple oriented...

To accurately represent the environment, our brains must integrate sensory signals from a common source while segregating those independent sources. A reasonable strategy for performing this task is to restrict integration cues that coincide in space and time. However, because multisensory are subject differential transmission processing delays, brain retain degree of tolerance temporal discrepancies. Recent research suggests width 'temporal binding window' can be reduced through perceptual...

Tracheal loss is a source of significant morbidity for affected patients with no acceptable solution. Interest in engineering tracheal transplants has created demand small animal models orthotopic transplantation. Here, we examine the use decellularized graft murine model replacement. Fresh or tracheas harvested from age-matched female donor C57BL/6 mice were transplanted into syngeneic recipients. Tracheas using repeated washes water, 3% Triton X-100, and 3 M NaCl under cyclic pressure...

The consistently observed age-accompanied diminution in mind-wandering stands seemingly opposed to accounts that present as a failure of executive control.This study examined the impact aging on frequency and phenomenology investigated distinct variables mediating age-related differences unintentional intentional mind-wandering.Thirty-four younger 34 healthy older adults completed neuropsychological test battery contrast change detection task embedded with experience sampling probes asking...

ABSTRACT This study traced the neurophysiological signals of fluctuating attention and task‐related processing to ascertain mechanistic basis transient strategic shifts between competing task focus mind‐wandering, as expressed by ‘exploitation/exploration’ framework, explored how they are differentially affected with age. Thirty‐four younger (16 female, mean age 22 years) 34 healthy older (20 71 adults performed Gradual Contrast Change Detection task; monitoring a continuously presented...

Abstract Respiration is being increasingly recognised as both synchronising its dynamics with external events and also modulating internal psychophysiological states. However, the extent to which these effects stem from a respiratory modulation of attention remains underexplored. Here, we leverage differing attentional strategies younger (YA) older adults (OA) - OA exhibited greater focus during simple contrast change detection task – examine their relationship phase-locking behaviour....

How does the brain adjust its decision processes to ensure timely completion? Computational modelling and electrophysiological investigations have pointed dynamic 'urgency' that serve progressively reduce quantity of evidence required reach choice commitment as time elapses. To date, such urgency dynamics been observed exclusively in neural signals accumulate for a specific motor plan. Across three complementary experiments, we show classic ERP component, Contingent Negative Variation (CNV),...

Our sensory experiences over a range of different timescales shape our perception the environment. Two particularly striking short-term forms plasticity with manifestly time courses and perceptual consequences are those caused by visual adaptation learning. Although conventionally treated as distinct experience-dependent plasticity, their neural mechanisms have become increasingly blurred, raising possibility that they might interact. To optimize chances finding functionally meaningful...

Abstract An object's shape is a strong cue for visual recognition. Most models of coding emphasize the role oriented lines and curves an shape. Yet inflection points, which occur at junction two oppositely signed curves, are ubiquitous features in natural scenes carry important information about object. Using aftereffect perceived contour changed following prolonged viewing slightly different-shaped contour, we demonstrate specific inflection. Control conditions show that this cannot be...

The ability to identify a target is reduced by the presence of nearby objects, phenomenon known as visual crowding. extent which crowding impairs our perception generally governed degree similarity between stimulus and its surrounding flankers. Here we investigated influence disparity differences flankers on Orientation discrimination thresholds for parafoveal were first measured when presented at same depth establish flanker separation that induced significant elevation in threshold each...

Synaesthesia has previously been linked with imagery abilities, although an understanding of a causal role for mental in broader synaesthetic experiences remains elusive. This can be partly attributed to our relatively poor sensory domains beyond vision. Investigations into the neural and behavioural underpinnings have nevertheless identified important perception, particularly mediating cross-modal interactions. However, phenomenology synaesthesia gives rise assumption that associated...

When observers have prior knowledge about the likely outcome of their perceptual decisions, they exhibit robust behavioural biases in reaction time and choice accuracy. Computational modelling typically attributes these effects to strategic adjustments criterion amount evidence required commit a alternative - usually implemented by starting point shift but recent work suggests that expectations may also fundamentally bias encoding sensory itself. Here, we recorded neural activity with EEG...

Rather little is known about the mechanisms that combine outputs of orientation- and spatial frequency-selective channels. These can be studied by measuring selective adaptation to compound stimuli over above expected from components alone (Peirce & Taylor, 2006). Here we investigated contrast- phase-dependency such mechanisms. A plaid was adapted in one visual hemi-field, while its constituent gratings were simultaneously other hemi-field. Plaid-selective most apparent with high-contrast...

In the Sound-Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI) sound dramatically alters visual perception, as presenting a single flash with two beeps results in perception of flashes. this comprehensive review, we synthesise 20 years research using SIFI, from over 100 studies. We discuss neural and computational principles governing illusion examine influence perceptual experience, development, ageing clinical conditions. Convergent findings show that SIFI optimal integration probabilistic inference directly...

When observers have prior knowledge about the likely outcome of their perceptual decisions, they exhibit robust behavioural biases in reaction time and choice accuracy. Computational modelling typically attributes these effects to strategic adjustments criterion amount evidence required commit a alternative - usually implemented by starting point shift but recent work suggests that expectations may also fundamentally bias encoding sensory itself. Here, we recorded neural activity with EEG...