Auditory and somatosensory integration in infants

Using behavioural measures in infants it has been shown that sensory integration undergoes significant development over the first year of life. We measured the MEG response to simple somatosensory and auditory stimulation to characterize the sensory integration response across these modalities in infants. We used the prototype babySQUID MEG system (Tristan Technologies) to measure the response to simple 800 Hz auditory tones (A), air puff somatosensory stimulation to the contralateral index finger (S), and simultaneous presentation of the A and S stimuli. We can identify clear responses to A, S and AS stimulation in infants. In addition, we found a robust sensory integration response (A + S < AS) in the 11–13 month old infants. The AS response relative to A + S was not as large for the younger infants. These preliminary results suggest an emergence of the sensory integration response over the first year of life, which agrees well with behavioural results in infants.