[{"command":"settings","settings":{"ajaxPageState":{"theme":"hm_theme","theme_token":"5tOYDYTSCZtY4j5cGDd4SIuXw_7TmDKkHt4PgUuJ71g","libraries":"eJwDAAAAAAE"},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"form_action_p_pvdeGsVG5zNF_XLGPTvYSKCf43t8qZYSwcfZl2uzM":true},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"2af85631393b514cbde3779a1f71d92618d53b94b54ea1960d28b2e2d121ff12"}},"merge":true},{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7111\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EBetter understanding sensory perception could help people with autism and dyslexia\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring her postdoctoral studies, neuroscientist Katharina von Kriegstein was running experiments to see how hearing and voice recognition activated the brain\u2019s auditory areas when she got a surprising result. Unlike her participants, her scans alone showed activity in the brain\u2019s visual areas. \u2018No other subject had this weird activity,\u2019 she recalled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe now knows why. In part, it was because she visually recognised her subjects. But her research since has revealed something else: \u2018When we have brief communication with a person, for two minutes for example, we also use visual areas to help auditory processing, to help recognise the person by voice.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, von Kriegstein is a professor of cognitive and clinical neuroscience at Technische Universit\u00e4t Dresden, Germany, who researches multisensory experiences \u2013 seeing and hearing. Through a project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/rcn\/199655\/factsheet\/en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ESENSOCOM\u003C\/a\u003E, she is exploring how sensory perception affects communication, focusing on the brain\u2019s deep subcortical structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy doing this, she and her team are exploring a part of the brain traditionally excluded by research trying to understand communication impairments found in autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia, conditions which affect \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/rcn\/199655\/factsheet\/en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Earound 53 million people in Europe\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The core thing is that we look at very early structures, the sensory pathways, whilst most of the researchers have been looking at cognitive function (in the cerebral cortex),\u2019 she said. \u2018So, in autism, more so even than in dyslexia, basically almost all work is being done, or has been done, in the cerebral cortex (and structures having to do with emotion).\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunication\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. von Kriegstein believes that delving into less-studied neural processing machinery could explain some crucial communication issues in dyslexia and autism that were previously attributed mainly to dysfunction of the cortical regions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The thinking was that actually that our eyes and ears deliver the sensory signals to the cerebral cortex and the subcortical structures are just for basically relaying this information and the cortex does all the very interesting stuff,\u2019 she said. \u2018But now we know there are a lot of feedback connections and so on and so it makes sense to look at these structures that have been thought to be very uninteresting for a long time.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese structures have also been difficult to study using the non-invasive techniques available to date since they are small in size and positioned deeply within the brain. So far, research into subcortical structures and dyslexia has largely focused on animal models and post-mortem cases. But Prof. von Kriegstein and her team are overcoming those challenges in humans by using newly developed techniques in ultra-high-resolution neuroimaging.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EIn autism, more so even than in dyslexia, basically almost all work is being done, or has been done, in the cerebral cortex (and structures having to do with emotion).\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EKatharina von Kriegstein, Technische Universit\u00e4t Dresden, Germany \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer team is exploring whether sensory processing difficulties in high-functioning autism contribute to social communication impairments, such as recognising vocal emotions and pitch in others, as well as in dyslexia, a learning disability characterised by difficulty in fluent reading.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this they have been focusing on the\u0026nbsp;sensory\u0026nbsp;pathways linked to these deep structures. She and her group\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/current-biology\/pdf\/S0960-9822(17)31337-4.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ediscovered\u003C\/a\u003E that adults with dyslexia have weaker pathway connections between a visual subcortical structure (the left visual thalamus) with\u0026nbsp;an area of the cortex\u0026nbsp;called V5\/MT, which is critical for the perception of visual motion. In the auditory mode, there was a similar finding. The team discovered weaker connections between the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/30643025\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eleft auditory thalamus\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and a cortex structure linked to auditory motion, which is important for speech perception. These connections could therefore be important for reading and for predicting reading skill, according to Dr von Kriegstein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDifficulty with rapid naming is a core dyslexia symptom. And the team found that the weaker the connection, the more time needed to name letters and numbers aloud.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMechanisms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo how might this translate into helping people with dyslexia? This is basic science, says Prof. von Kriegstein, so first it\u2019s crucial to understand the mechanisms behind communications disorders before developing therapy training tools, although she is optimistic these could lie within reach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer lab is also looking at neurostimulation, specifically a non-invasive technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation, to better understand how communication works. This technique involves placing a coil against the scalp to generate magnetic pulses which temporarily alter the brain\u2019s neural activity. By measuring the impact of stimulation on communication, researchers aim to understand which brain regions are important for a particular process. \u2018Of course if it works, one could target these areas better,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Scientists are using transcranial magnetic stimulation to understand which brain regions are important for communication. Image credit - Mathias Von Kriegstein\u0022 height=\u0022994\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/MathiasVonKriegstein-TMS_small.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022Scientists are using transcranial magnetic stimulation to understand which brain regions are important for communication. Image credit - Mathias Von Kriegstein\u0022 width=\u00221500\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EScientists are using transcranial magnetic stimulation to understand which brain regions are important for communication. Image credit - Mathias Von Kriegstein\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn fact, researchers in Israel in 2015 reported that neurostimulation \u2018resulted in a significant \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0028393215000895\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eimprovement in dyslexics\u2019 rapid naming abilities for numbers\u003C\/a\u003E and a trend toward improvement for letters.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBetter understanding how the brain processes sensory experiences could also have implications for another condition \u2013 schizophrenia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhenever we use our senses, perhaps smelling coffee or hearing a train chug by, electrical activity is generated within neuronal networks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe way the brain encodes information and in turn directs perception of that sensory experience is a highly variable process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iit.it\/people\/tommaso-fellin\u0022\u003ETommaso Fellin\u003C\/a\u003E, a principal investigator at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa, Italy, leads a project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/rcn\/198174\/factsheet\/en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ENEURO-PATTERNS\u003C\/a\u003E, which aims to better understand how brain coding during sensory perception works and the most important activity patterns. It could also reveal the anomalies linked to disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Understanding this basic property of the mammalian brain has the potential to shed light on brain diseases,\u2019 said Dr Fellin, \u2018especially for those conditions which are characterised by alterations in sensory perception.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchizophrenia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research is therefore relevant for studying conditions like schizophrenia with deficits in auditory and sensory processing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe sensory overload or distorted and heightened perceptions described by schizophrenia patients, for instance, could relate to these deficits. Sensory dysfunction has also been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ajp.psychiatryonline.org\/doi\/10.1176\/appi.ajp.2014.13121691\u0022\u003Elinked\u003C\/a\u003E to delusions and hallucinations as well as difficulties with attention and reading the emotions or tone of others \u2013 all of which can affect social interaction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Dr Fellin, decreased connectivity between nerve cells (neurons) appears to play an important role in the progression of schizophrenia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo far, Dr Fellin and his group have identified \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/nn.3306\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ewhich specific neurons influence sensory responses\u003C\/a\u003E in mouse studies, but not yet in animal models of schizophrenia, with similar investigations in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/19706442\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eglial cells\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;- the supporting cells of the nervous system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, they\u2019re \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/srep40041\u0022\u003Edeveloping new technologies\u003C\/a\u003E to stimulate and monitor activity in neurons, even at single cell resolution and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.osapublishing.org\/boe\/fulltext.cfm?uri=boe-7-10-3958\u0026amp;id=350003\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Ein deep brain regions\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cu\u003E.\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis work reflects a broader recent renewed focus in schizophrenia research on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/schizophreniabulletin\/article\/45\/Supplement_2\/S150\/5434718\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Esensory process deficits rather than an emphasis\u003C\/a\u003E on higher-order cognitive processes such as memory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd it could in the future help researchers design better diagnostic tools and treatment options.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the European Research Council. 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