Dissociating the neural correlates of tactile temporal order and simultaneity judgements

Abstract

Perceiving temporal relationships between sensory events is a key process for recognising dynamic environments. Temporal order judgement (TOJ) and simultaneity judgement (SJ) are used for probing this perceptual process. TOJ and SJ exhibit identical psychometric parameters. However, there is accumulating psychophysical evidence that distinguishes TOJ from SJ. Some studies have proposed that the perceptual processes for SJ (e.g., detecting successive/simultaneity) are also included in TOJ, whereas TOJ requires more processes (e.g., determination of the temporal order). Other studies have proposed two independent processes for TOJ and SJ. To identify differences in the neural activity associated with TOJ versus SJ, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging of participants during TOJ and SJ with identical tactile stimuli. TOJ-specific activity was observed in multiple regions (e.g., left ventral and bilateral dorsal premotor cortices and left posterior parietal cortex) that overlap the general temporal prediction network for perception and motor systems. SJ-specific activation was observed only in the posterior insular cortex. Our results suggest that TOJ requires more processes than SJ and that both TOJ and SJ implement specific process components. The neural differences between TOJ and SJ thus combine features described in previous psychophysical hypotheses that proposed different mechanisms.

Overlapping but Divergent Neural Correlates Underpinning Audiovisual Synchrony and Temporal Order Judgments

“…Recently, however, using a simple beep-flash stimulus and an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis, Binder ( 2015 ) highlighted several left hemisphere regions (superior/inferior lobule, middle/inferior gyrus and lateral occipital cortex) that activate more during audiovisual TOJs than SJs. Similarly, but in response to unimodal tactile stimulation, Miyazaki et al ( 2016 ) observed more activation for TOJs than SJs in left premotor cortex, left posterior parietal cortex, right premotor cortex and bilateral thalamus. In contrast, within left insular cortex they observed greater activation for SJs than TOJs.…”

Composites from renewable and sustainable resources: Challenges and innovations

“…3D printing enables the creation of complex structures that cannot be created by traditional composite manufacturing technologies. A 3D printing technique has been developed for processing unidirectional continuous fiberreinforced PLA composites with very high modulus and strength (39).…”

Problems with the dual-systems approach to temporal cognition

“…It is therefore possible that the motor cortical-basal ganglia-cerebellar networks support the temporal updating system. Consistently, Miyazaki et al (2016) reported the neural correlates of tactile temporal order judgment and found the involvement of the motor system (ventral and bilateral dorsal premotor cortex and posterior parietal cortex) in temporal information processing.…”