62
Data from twenty subjects in two separate imaging experiments supported this
hypothesis.
TactileresponsesinSTSms
Previous studies have reported somatosensory responses in human STS (Burton,
et al. 2006; Disbrow, et al. 2001; Golaszewski, et al. 2002). The present results are the
first to show that these responses are со-localized with auditory and visual responses.
The results of Experiment 1 might have reflected a general cognitive process important
for the behavioral task rather than a modality-specific sensory response in STS.
However, passive presentation of somatosensory stimuli in Experiment 2 evoked a
similar magnitude of response as Experiment 1 suggesting that a behavioral task is not
required for somatosensory STS responses. The magnitude of STSms response was
modulated by the intensity of the tactile stimulation and by the body site Ofstimulation,
further supporting the conclusion that STSms responses reflect sensory processing
rather than task performance.
MultisensoryintegrationinSTSms
Previous studies have shown that posterior STS responds more to multisensory
auditory-visual stimuli than to Unisensory auditory or visual stimuli (Beauchamp, et al.
2004b; Calvert 2001; Noesselt, et al. 2007; Raij, et al. 2000; van Atteveldt, et al. 2004).
Consistent with these results, we observed a larger response for multisensory auditory-
tactile stimuli than Unisensory auditory Ortactile stimulation. The degree of