Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration
Abstract Multimodal sensory integration is a ubiquitous neural process that can be modeled as optimal cue combination, incorporating both top-down, attention-like signals and bottom-up evidence that impact the precision of response variables. Accordingly, reducing attention or adding noise to one mo...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09542-6 |
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| author | Clement Abbatecola Henry Kennedy Kenneth Knoblauch |
| author_facet | Clement Abbatecola Henry Kennedy Kenneth Knoblauch |
| author_sort | Clement Abbatecola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Multimodal sensory integration is a ubiquitous neural process that can be modeled as optimal cue combination, incorporating both top-down, attention-like signals and bottom-up evidence that impact the precision of response variables. Accordingly, reducing attention or adding noise to one modality is expected to decrease proportionally its contribution while increasing that of the other modality. We tested this prediction using a gender-comparison task employing stimuli for which the face and voice were independently morphed between average male and female exemplars. Top-down influences were manipulated by having observers judge the stimuli with respect to either one or both modalities. Bottom-up influences were manipulated by introducing independent and varying amounts of visual and auditory noise. The contributions of each modality were estimated by maximum likelihood within a signal detection model of the decision process. As expected, if the attended modality was degraded by noise, the contribution of the unattended modality increased in compensation. Contrary to prediction, however, noise in the unattended modality had no impact on the attended modality. The results signal a departure from an optimal cue combination rule and are relevant to theories of predictive processes and observations in bimodal learning in modality-specific agnosia (prosopagnosia, phonagnosia). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abf95ebd928a40eeae5731f8d5f0ab82 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-abf95ebd928a40eeae5731f8d5f0ab822025-08-20T03:42:57ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-09542-6Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integrationClement Abbatecola0Henry Kennedy1Kenneth Knoblauch2Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of GlasgowStem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Inserm U1208, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Inserm U1208, University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Abstract Multimodal sensory integration is a ubiquitous neural process that can be modeled as optimal cue combination, incorporating both top-down, attention-like signals and bottom-up evidence that impact the precision of response variables. Accordingly, reducing attention or adding noise to one modality is expected to decrease proportionally its contribution while increasing that of the other modality. We tested this prediction using a gender-comparison task employing stimuli for which the face and voice were independently morphed between average male and female exemplars. Top-down influences were manipulated by having observers judge the stimuli with respect to either one or both modalities. Bottom-up influences were manipulated by introducing independent and varying amounts of visual and auditory noise. The contributions of each modality were estimated by maximum likelihood within a signal detection model of the decision process. As expected, if the attended modality was degraded by noise, the contribution of the unattended modality increased in compensation. Contrary to prediction, however, noise in the unattended modality had no impact on the attended modality. The results signal a departure from an optimal cue combination rule and are relevant to theories of predictive processes and observations in bimodal learning in modality-specific agnosia (prosopagnosia, phonagnosia).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09542-6Face and voice gender perceptionAttentionPrecisionPredictive codingProsopagnosiaPhonagnosia |
| spellingShingle | Clement Abbatecola Henry Kennedy Kenneth Knoblauch Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration Scientific Reports Face and voice gender perception Attention Precision Predictive coding Prosopagnosia Phonagnosia |
| title | Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration |
| title_full | Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration |
| title_fullStr | Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration |
| title_short | Directed attention influences optimality of top-down and bottom-up multi-modal perceptual integration |
| title_sort | directed attention influences optimality of top down and bottom up multi modal perceptual integration |
| topic | Face and voice gender perception Attention Precision Predictive coding Prosopagnosia Phonagnosia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09542-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT clementabbatecola directedattentioninfluencesoptimalityoftopdownandbottomupmultimodalperceptualintegration AT henrykennedy directedattentioninfluencesoptimalityoftopdownandbottomupmultimodalperceptualintegration AT kennethknoblauch directedattentioninfluencesoptimalityoftopdownandbottomupmultimodalperceptualintegration |