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A distinct electrophysiological signature for synaesthesia that is independent of individual differences in sensory sensitivity

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posted on 2023-06-09, 23:13 authored by Jamie WardJamie Ward, Reny BaykovaReny Baykova, Benjamin Dyson, Jowinn Chew, Marie Luise Schreiter, Christian Beste, Maxine ShermanMaxine Sherman
People with synaesthesia have been reported to show atypical electrophysiological responses to certain simple sensory stimuli, even if these stimuli are not inducers of synaesthesia. However, it is unclear whether this constitutes a neural marker that is relatively specific to synaesthesia or whether it reflects some other trait that co-occurs with synaesthesia, but is not specific to it. One candidate is atypical sensory sensitivity (e.g. strong aversion to certain lights and sounds, ‘sensory overload’) which is a feature of both synaesthesia and autism and that varies greatly in the neurotypical population. Using visual evoked-potentials (to stimuli varying in spatial frequency) and auditory-evoked potentials (to stimuli varying in auditory frequency), we found that synaesthetes had a modulated visual evoked-potential around P1/N1 (emanating from fusiform cortex), a greater auditory N1, as well as differences in the time-frequency domain (increased alpha and beta induced power for visual stimuli). This was distinct from that found in non-synaesthetes. By contrast, no significant electrophysiological differences were found that were linked to neurotypical variation in sensory sensitivity.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Cortex

ISSN

0010-9452

Publisher

Elsevier

Department affiliated with

  • BSMS Neuroscience Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2021-03-04

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2022-03-27

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2021-03-04

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