Holmes, Nicholas P., Spence, Charles, Hansen, Peter C., Mackay, Clare E. and Calvert, Gemma (2008) The multisensory attentional consequences of tool use : a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. PL o S One, Vol.3 (No.10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003502 ISSN 1932-6203.

Preview

PDF WRAP_Calvert_journal.pone.0003502.pdf - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (773Kb)

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Background: Tool use in humans requires that multisensory information is integrated across different locations, from objects
seen to be distant from the hand, but felt indirectly at the hand via the tool. We tested the hypothesis that using a simple tool
to perceive vibrotactile stimuli results in the enhanced processing of visual stimuli presented at the distal, functional part of the
tool. Such a finding would be consistent with a shift of spatial attention to the location where the tool is used.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We tested this hypothesis by scanning healthy human participants’ brains using
functional magnetic resonance imaging, while they used a simple tool to discriminate between target vibrations,
accompanied by congruent or incongruent visual distractors, on the same or opposite side to the tool. The attentional
hypothesis was supported: BOLD response in occipital cortex, particularly in the right hemisphere lingual gyrus, varied
significantly as a function of tool position, increasing contralaterally, and decreasing ipsilaterally to the tool. Furthermore,
these modulations occurred despite the fact that participants were repeatedly instructed to ignore the visual stimuli, to
respond only to the vibrotactile stimuli, and to maintain visual fixation centrally. In addition, the magnitude of multisensory
(visual-vibrotactile) interactions in participants’ behavioural responses significantly predicted the BOLD response in occipital
cortical areas that were also modulated as a function of both visual stimulus position and tool position.
Conclusions/Significance: These results show that using a simple tool to locate and to perceive vibrotactile stimuli is
accompanied by a shift of spatial attention to the location where the functional part of the tool is used, resulting in
enhanced processing of visual stimuli at that location, and decreased processing at other locations. This was most clearly
observed in the right hemisphere lingual gyrus. Such modulations of visual processing may reflect the functional
importance of visuospatial information during human tool use.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QP Physiology
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Engineering > WMG (Formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Tools, Perceptual-motor processes, Sensory stimulation
Journal or Publication Title:	PL o S One
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
ISSN:	1932-6203
Official Date:	29 October 2008
Dates:	Date Event 29 October 2008 Published
Volume:	Vol.3
Number:	No.10
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0003502
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Funder:	Wellcome Trust (London, England), Great Britain. Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads