Timing the senses: From auditory temporal coherence to audiovisual integration

Human perception operates within a chaotic sensory environment, where the brain must constantly determine which signals arise from the same source. A critical mechanism for this is temporal coherence, being the degree to which different sensory features fluctuate together over time. In the auditory domain, temporal coherence is a primary driver for stream segregation, allowing the brain to bind diverse frequencies into a single "object." However, this principle extends beyond audition. Temporal structure serves as a fundamental organizing principle for perception across sensory modalities, acting as a "glue" that helps the brain determine which signals belong together. While we understand that timing is important for both auditory grouping and multisensory binding, the precise transition from intramodal temporal coherence to intermodal audiovisual integration remains a complex challenge in human neuroscience.The goal of this Research Topic is to bridge the gap between auditory scene analysis and multisensory synthesis by focusing on two interrelated questions: first, how the brain detects and represents temporal coherence within auditory signals; and second, how this temporal structure in auditory input contributes to the binding between auditory and visual information. Current research often treats these as separate processes, yet they are likely governed by shared neural substrates and computational principles.By bringing these inquiries together, we aim to address the problem of how the brain maintains perceptual stability in complex, multisensory environments. We seek to highlight the idea that temporal patterns are not merely features of a stimulus, but are the framework through which the brain resolves ambiguity. To achieve this, we invite contributions that explore the neural mechanisms, from oscillatory activity to cortical connectivity, and the computational models that explain how temporal structure dictates signal belongingness across the senses.This Research Topic seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of how temporal dynamics shape perception. We welcome original research, reviews, and computational papers that investigate the neural substrates of timing and binding. We are particularly interested in submissions that address the following themes:- Neural mechanisms underlying the detection and representation of temporal coherence in complex auditory scenes.- The role of temporal structure in facilitating or constraining audiovisual binding and the "temporal binding window."- Computational principles (e.g., Bayesian inference or predictive coding) that explain how timing determines signal belongingness.- The impact of neural oscillations and rhythmic entrainment on cross-modal temporal integration.- Developmental or clinical perspectives on how timing mechanisms are altered in sensory processing disorders.- The influence of attention and top-down processing on the perception of temporal coherence and multisensory unity. Topic editors: Huriye Atilgan, Keita Tanaka Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81077/timing-the-senses-from-auditory-temporal-coherence-to-audiovisual-integration