Somatosensory stimulation activates human auditory cortex

Abstract

Objective This paper is to explore whether somatosensory stimulation could activate human auditory cortex (AI) and provide a new evidence for the multisensory center.Methods Intrinsic optical signals from the superior temporal gyrus were measured intraoperatively in five anesthetized patients with temporal lobe tumors.We detected the activation of the auditory cortex ( BA41、42) during auditory and somatosensory stimuli respectively under red illuminating light (610 ± 10 ) nm.Results Under the illumination of red light wavelength we clearly detected hemodynamic responses in the primary and secondary auditory cortex ( BA 41,42) by the stimulus of the 100 dB clicks ( n =5) and similar response area during the somatosensory paradigm ( n =4).Conclusion Somatosensory stimulation can activate the auditory cortex which may be a new evidence of the multisensory center. Key words: Auditory cortex ; Neuron plasticity ; Optical imaging of intrinsic signal ; Multisensory center ;