Electrophysiological correlates of individual differences in perception of audiovisual temporal asynchrony. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kaganovich, Natalya; Schumaker, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 86(2016)
• Page Start: 119
• Page End: 130
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: Temporal binding window -- Audiovisual temporal processing -- Simultaneity judgment task -- ERPs -- Individual differences; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.04.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: Sensitivity to the temporal relationship between auditory and visual stimuli is key to efficient audiovisual integration. However, even adults vary greatly in their ability to detect audiovisual temporal asynchrony. What underlies this variability is currently unknown. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) while participants performed a simultaneity judgment task on a range of audiovisual (AV) and visual-auditory (VA) stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) and compared ERP responses in good and poor performers to the 200 ms SOA, which showed the largest individual variability in the number of synchronous perceptions. Analysis of ERPs to the VA200 stimulus yielded no significant results. However, those individuals who were more sensitive to the AV200 SOA had significantly more positive voltage between 210 and 270 ms following the sound onset. In a follow-up analysis, we showed that the mean voltage within this window predicted approximately 36% of variability in sensitivity to AV temporal asynchrony in a larger group of participants. The relationship between the ERP measure in the 210–270 ms window and accuracy on the simultaneity judgment task also held for two other AV SOAs with significant individual variability −100 and 300 ms. Because the identified window was time-locked to the onset of sound in the AV stimulus, we conclude that sensitivity to AV temporal asynchrony is shaped to a large extent by the efficiency in the neural encoding of sound onsets. Highlights: Adults vary greatly in the ability to perceive AV asynchrony at medium SOAs. Good performers at AV200 SOA had more positive voltage 210–270 ms post sound onset. Voltage within the 210–270 ms window predicted 36% of accuracy at the AV200 SOA. Relationship between ERPs and accuracy on the SJT also held for AV100 and AV300 SOAs. Encoding of auditory onsets underlies variability in audiovisual temporal function.