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Coordinated neural, behavioral, and phenomenological changes in perceptual plasticity through overtraining of synesthetic associations
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 09:37 authored by Nicolas Rothen, David SchwartzmanDavid Schwartzman, Daniel Bor, Anil SethAnil SethSynesthesia is associated with additional perceptual experiences, which are automatically and consistently triggered by specific inducing stimuli. Synesthesia is also accompanied by more general sensory and cortical changes, including enhanced modality-specific cortical excitability. Extensive cognitive training has been shown to generate synesthesia-like phenomenology but whether these experiences are accompanied by neurophysiological changes characteristic of synesthesia remains unknown. Addressing this question provides a unique opportunity to elucidate the neural basis of perceptual plasticity relevant to conscious experiences. Here we investigate whether extensive training of letter-color associations leads not only to synesthetic experiences, but also to changes in cortical excitability. We confirm that overtraining synesthetic associations results in synesthetic phenomenology. Stroop tasks further reveal synesthesia-like performance following training. Electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation show, respectively, enhanced visual evoked potentials (in response to untrained patterns) and lower phosphene thresholds, demonstrating specific cortical changes. An active (using letter-symbol training) and a passive control confirmed these results were due to letter-color training and not simply to repeated testing. Summarizing, we demonstrate specific cortical changes, following training-induced acquisition of synesthetic phenomenology that are characteristic of genuine synesthesia. Collectively, our data reveal dramatic plasticity in human visual perception, expressed through a coordinated set of behavioral, neurophysiological, and phenomenological changes.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
NeuropsychologiaISSN
0028-3932Publisher
ElsevierVolume
111Page range
151-162Department affiliated with
- Informatics Publications
Research groups affiliated with
- Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-01-23First Open Access (FOA) Date
2019-01-31First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-01-23Usage metrics
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