[visionlist] Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience Research Topic: Multisensory Perception and Action: psychophysics, neural mechanisms, and applications

[Zhuanghua Shi]

In collaboration with Frontiers in Neuroscience, we are pleased to announce an upcoming Research Topic, "Multisensory Perception and Action: psychophysics, neural mechanisms, and applications", for which we are now accepting submissions.

The proposed structure of this Research Topic is provided below.

Host Specialty: Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

Topic Title: Multisensory Perception and Action: psychophysics, neural mechanisms, and applications

Topic Editor(s): Zhuanghua Shi, Hermann Mueller

Description: Our senses are not separated. Information received from one sensory modality may be linked with, or distorted by information provided from another modality, such as in the ventriloquism illusion and experiences of crossmodal correspondence. Scientific interest in how we integrate multisensory information and how we interact with a multisensory world has increased dramatically over the last two decades, as evidenced by an exponential growth of relevant studies using behavioral and/or neuro-scientific approaches to investigate multisensory integration and the underlying brain mechanisms. This work has revealed that the brain integrates information across senses in a statistically optimal manner; also, some key multisensory brain areas, such as the superior colliculus, have been identified.

However, many questions remain unresolved. For example, at what age do we develop optimal multisensory integration? How does the brain ‘know’ which stimuli to combine, and which to segregate? What are the principles that govern crossmodal interactions? Does multisensory integration rely solely on the variability of sensory information? Do primary sensory cortices also contribute to multisensory integration? How does multisensory integration influence our sensorimotor interactions?

To take stock of the most recent developments, this special issue aims to provide a broad scope of research on multisensory perception and action from different perspectives/approaches and disciplines, including behavioral and neurosciences, computational/mathematical modeling, and engineering science.  Specifically, the special issue will focus on the following topics:
1.      Functional and behavioral mechanisms of multisensory perception
2.      Neural mechanisms of multisensory coding
3.      Multisensory perception and sensorimotor interaction
4.      Multisensory applications

For this special issue, we welcome contributions in a variety of formats, from original research reports, review, to computational/mathematical modeling papers that can deepen our understanding of multisensory perception and action.

Our Research Topic receives a dedicated homepage on the Frontiers website, where you can get further information about this special topics. 
http://www.frontiersin.org/Integrative%20Neuroscience/researchtopics/multisensory_perception_and_ac/548

All authors are required to submit an abstract to the guest editors (email: shi at psy.lmu.de) or via the special topic homepage before 1st December 2011. 

Article Submission Deadline is Apr 01, 2012. 

Should you choose to participate, please confirm by sending me a quick email.

With best regards,

Zhuanghua  Shi
Guest Associate Editor, Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
www.frontiersin.org

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Dr. Zhuanghua Shi
Experimental Psychology, Department Psychologie
LMU München
Tel: (+49) 89 2180 5213
Fax: (+49) 89 2180 5211
http://www.psy.lmu.de/exp/people/ma/shi/index.html