Work

Crosstalk Between Auditory and Visual information in Motor Learning and Savings

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Sensorimotor adaptation relies on the integration of multisensory feedback, yet the specific contributions of auditory signals to this process remain poorly understood compared to vision. We tested 46 participants on a reaching task using visual, auditory, or combined feedback about terminal errors. Participants alternated between feedback modalities during learning and relearning, revealing how adaptation transfers across sensory systems. Strikingly, although auditory feedback alone failed to support initial learning, prior visual learning enabled subsequent auditory adaptation. Further experiments showed that this cross-modal transfer stems from a memory of the learned reaching direction, acting as an attractor for movement, independent of error-based mechanisms, or explicit strategies. Our findings unveil a novel pathway for sensory integration in motor learning, with implications for designing cross-modal training protocols.

Source: European Journal of Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70502

Author: Olivier White

Institutions: Inserm, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Cognition, Action, and Sensorimotor Plasticity

Language: English

Topic: Motor Control and Adaptation

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,560

Funders: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, European Regional Development Fund