This basic processing is important as a means of understand the way different parts of the brain communicate with each other. When we look at the output of a human electroencephalogram (EEG) or magnetoencephalogram (MEG), we see apparently random and chaotic patterns of different waves. What we are actually seeing relates to the coordinated synchronized communication of large neural populations. A lot of our work is in decoding the way in which these different oscillatory signals help to order and facilitate multisensory processing. The work of putting together all the disparate environmental stimuli into a coherent, integrated picture of the world requires extremely fast and flexible communication between the different brain regions. We have indeed observed multisensory interactions at very short latencies (Senkowski et al., 2011), suggesting that they are a fundamental property of the brain. Further studies have shown a close interplay between multisensory integration and attention (Talsma et al., 2010). Recently, we have started to apply computational modelling to explain how the brain decides which environmental stimuli belong together, and how this is integrated across time.
Key references: Balz et al., 2016, Neuroimage; Keil & Senkowski, 2018, Neuroscientist; Michail et al., 2021, JN, 2022, Neuroimage; Pomer et al., 2015, HBM; Senkowski et al., 2008, TINS; Talsma et al., 2010, TICS
Schizophrenia
Key references: Moran et al., 2021, Cereb Cortex; Senkowski & Gallinat, 2015, Biol Psychiatr; Senkowski & Moran, 2022 Neuroimage:Clin; Wooldridge et al., 2021, Sci Rep
Pain
Our studies have mainly focused on the processing of acute pain (Senkowski et al., 2011; Pomper et al. 2013). Noxious stimuli in our environment are often accompanied by input from other sensory modalities that can affect the processing of these stimuli and the perception of pain. Stimuli from these other modalities may distract us from pain and reduce its perceived strength. Alternatively, they can enhance the saliency of the painful input, leading to an increased pain experience. A main outomce of our research is that stimuli from other modalities interact with pain, so that they either elevate or diminish the processing and perception of pain (Hofle et al, 2012, 2013). We also hypothesized that chronic pain can distort body representation in the brain (Senkowski et al., 2016), which has implications for the development of virtual reality feedback interventions for the multisensory treatment of chronic pain.
Key references: Hofle et al, 2012, Pain; Senkowski et al., 2011, JN; Senkowski et al., 2014, TICS; Pomper et al. 2013, Neuroimage
Other topics
We wave conducted smaller-scale projects on other topics, including generalized anxiety disorder (Senkowski et al., 2003); a collaborative project with the institute of sexology and sexual medicine (Speer et al., 2020); cochlear implant users (Senkowski et al., 2014); genetic research (Gallinat et al., 2003); functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (Balz et al, 2018); adult ADHD (Senkowski et al., preprint) and health care related research (Moran et al., 2021). Recently, we started a larger-scale project on memory processing in post-traumatic stress disorder. This project seeks to apply established knowledge of dynamic neural processes underlying memory to its potential dysfunction in people with PTSD. Memory dysfunction is a conspicuous element of PTSD – people’s memories of traumatic experiences are often confused, and overlap each other, compounding the distress of the individual. It seems that general working memory and episodic memory performance, even for non-traumatic memories is impaired in PTSD. We want to test whether these memory deficits can be related to oscillatory features of memory encoding and retrieval, and whether manipulating these signals can actually have an effect on memory performance.
Key references: Kaiser et al., 2018, EJN; Senkowski et al., 2003, Biol Psychiatr; Senkowski et al., 2022, Cereb Cortex Commun; Speer et al., 2020, Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatr