Ears See Objects Before the Eyes Do
- 10 years ago
A recent study showed that a person’s ears often see objects before their eyes do.
It’s easy to regard one’s senses as sole rulers of their own dominions. Noses are for smelling, ears for hearing, and so on.
A recent study confirms that it doesn’t necessarily work with that level of specificity. In fact, a person’s ears often help us see objects before our eyes do.
It comes down to how the brain’s visual cortex takes in, interprets, and sends along information.
In the case of ears predicting what we’ll see, the brain processes audio information received in advance of the actual object coming into view.
Based on the information it’s given, it envisages what the eyes are going to soon rest upon.
Scientists from the University of Glasgow learned this to be the case by examining a series of MRIs taken when both sounds and related visuals were presented to study subjects, and when they were left to only imagine them.
In both cases, the brain emitted similar signals denoting source identification.
Said one of the team members, “This research enhances our basic understanding of how interconnected different regions of the brain are. The early visual cortex hasn’t previously been known to process auditory information...”
It’s hoped that the findings will help shed light on sensory perception as experienced by people with schizophrenia and autism.
It’s easy to regard one’s senses as sole rulers of their own dominions. Noses are for smelling, ears for hearing, and so on.
A recent study confirms that it doesn’t necessarily work with that level of specificity. In fact, a person’s ears often help us see objects before our eyes do.
It comes down to how the brain’s visual cortex takes in, interprets, and sends along information.
In the case of ears predicting what we’ll see, the brain processes audio information received in advance of the actual object coming into view.
Based on the information it’s given, it envisages what the eyes are going to soon rest upon.
Scientists from the University of Glasgow learned this to be the case by examining a series of MRIs taken when both sounds and related visuals were presented to study subjects, and when they were left to only imagine them.
In both cases, the brain emitted similar signals denoting source identification.
Said one of the team members, “This research enhances our basic understanding of how interconnected different regions of the brain are. The early visual cortex hasn’t previously been known to process auditory information...”
It’s hoped that the findings will help shed light on sensory perception as experienced by people with schizophrenia and autism.