For people who live with autism, sensory experiences can be overwhelming or difficult to understand. We aim to find out why. We collaborate with the autistic community to identify which research questions are most important.
Our group uses neuropsychological tests, virtual reality games and brain imaging to test perception and cognitive function in people with autism or ADHD. Neurodevelopmental conditions occur when the brain takes a different path in development. Differences in thinking styles and perception may cause many problems but can also offer great strengths. Understanding these individual differences is key to helping people finding ways of living that harness their strengths in the best way possible. We invite participants for various tests that either use a computer screen or a virtual reality headset. Sometimes we measure brain activity with EEG or brain imaging.
Research projects
Multisensory integration on rapid timescales in neurodevelopmental disorders
If two stimuli reach the brain within a certain time window, we are likely to perceive them as originating from the same source. This automatic temporal integration of asynchronous inputs helps us understand the multisensory environment. In neurodevelopmental conditions, this window appears to be longer or shorter than normal. This might cause a failure to attribute e.g. the sound of an object to the corresponding visual impression, making the sensory environment messy and tiring. We study how differences in multisensory temporal integration may be related to sensory processing problems in autism and other neurodevelopmental variations. We use a combination of behavioral testing, virtual reality and brain imaging, focusing especially on time-keeping networks involving the cerebellum.
