Postnatal Experiences Influence How the Brain Integrates Information from Different Senses

Barry E Stein

doi:10.3389/neuro.07.021.2009

Abstract

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is characterized by anomalous reactions to, and integration of, sensory cues. Although the underlying etiology of SPD is unknown, one brain region likely to reflect these sensory and behavioral anomalies is the superior colliculus (SC), a structure involved in the synthesis of information from multiple sensory modalities and the control of overt orientation responses. In the present review we describe normal functional properties of this structure, the manner in which its individual neurons integrate cues from different senses, and the overt SC-mediated behaviors that are believed to manifest this “multisensory integration.” Of particular interest here is how SC neurons develop their capacity to engage in multisensory integration during early postnatal life as a consequence of early sensory experience, and the intimate communication between cortex and the midbrain that makes this developmental process possible.

Highlights

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is characterized by anomalous reactions to, and integration of, sensory cues
Important to note that sensory integration problems similar to those found in SPD have been noted in other developmental disorders, such as autism, wherein individuals often experience abnormalities in multisensory integration by focusing extensively on visual processes and neglecting auditory signals (Lovaas et al, 1974; Berkell et al, 1996), and in dyslexia and attention deficit disorder (Hairston et al, 2005; Tucha et al, 2006; Blau et al, 2009)
Regardless of the etiology of SPD or the particular form it takes in a given individual, what appears to be fundamentally altered in the brain is its sensory processing and sensorimotor transduction

Summary

Introduction

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is characterized by anomalous reactions to, and integration of, sensory cues. This conclusion was based on the results of a number of studies in cat showing that functional deactivation of the inputs from areas of association cortex disrupted multisensory integration in SC neurons but not their ability to respond to cues from different senses (Jiang et al, 2001; Jiang and Stein, 2003; Stein et al, 2002; see Burnett et al, 2007).

Results

Conclusion