Biology subjects

Cardin, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Cardin, V..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Crossmodal plasticity effects of hearing loss and ageing in the human auditory cortex

Crossmodal plasticity refers to the phenomenon by which typical sensory areas respond to stimulation in other sensory modalities when their main input is absent or reduced. In this study, we examined the effect of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) on crossmodal plasticity in auditory brain regions. ARHL is prevalent in a large proportion of older adults, and it is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Understanding how the brain adapts to ARHL is essential in aiding the development of adequate therapies and interventions for a phenomenon experienced by most adults aged 65 and over. Previous research in congenitally deaf adults has shown that crossmodal plasticity effects are stronger for conditions that require higher executive demands. We conducted an fMRI experiment in older adults to determine whether crossmodal recruitment of auditory cortical regions during higher executive demands also occurs following ARHL. In the MRI scanner, participants with and without ARHL completed a visual task-switching paradigm and a visual working memory task, each comprising high and low executive-demand conditions. Results from both groups of participants showed that the high-demand conditions reliably activated canonical frontoparietal regions involved in executive function and cognitive control. Crucially, we also observed significant recruitment of auditory regions during these visual tasks, particularly under the higher executive demands condition of the task-switching paradigm. Crossmodal activations in auditory areas occurred in both groups, with no significant effects of hearing level or age. These findings indicate that auditory regions are involved in high executive demand visual processing, and that crossmodal plasticity effects are not restricted to early sensitive periods. We propose that reduced auditory input and age-related changes in cortical processing jointly contribute to the reorganisation of the auditory cortex in later life. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for clarifying the neural consequences of ARHL and their impact on cognitive decline.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Higher-order crossmodal representations in the auditory cortex of deaf and hearing individuals

The study of early deafness provides unique insights into how sensory experience shapes brain function and organisation. Here we investigated whether the auditory cortex of deaf individuals can implement cognitive functions when its sensory input is absent or significantly reduced. Crossmodal plasticity research has shown that auditory areas of the human brain are recruited for executive processing tasks in deaf individuals (Cardin et al., 2018; Ding et al., 2015; Manini et al., 2022; Zimmermann et al., 2021). What is the role of the auditory cortex during such executive processes in deaf individuals? One possibility is that it has a role in sensory processing, extracting information about relevant features. Alternatively, their function may go beyond feature processing, representing information such as task rules or attentional states. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we conducted an fMRI delay-to-match experiment in either the visual or somatosensory modality in deaf (N=13) and hearing (N=18) individuals. Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) showed that the auditory cortex of deaf individuals contains information task and sensory modality. We also found significant representations of somatosensory frequency. Critically, task and modality representations were also found in the auditory cortex of hearing individuals. These findings suggest that crossmodal plasticity relies on the enhancement of representations that are present in hearing individuals, rather than through the implementation of novel ones. In conclusion, we show that sensory experience shapes cognitive processing and the function of sensory regions in the brain, and that the "functional destiny" of cortical regions can be shaped by early sensory experience.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

The impact of language proficiency on task-dependent neural activity and functional connectivity: Insights from deafness

Our study aimed to investigate the impact of differences in language proficiency on the neural correlates of cognitive processing in deaf adults. In congenitally and early deaf individuals, individual differences in language proficiency reflect the degree of language access during critical developmental periods and significantly influence cognitive function. By studying the neural substrates of cognition in a population with diverse language backgrounds and skills, we can explore the influence of early language experience on the formation of cognitive networks in the brain. We used functional MRI in a group of deaf adults with varying language experience backgrounds and a control group of hearing participants. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that differences in language skills modulate neural response and functional connectivity during the execution of demanding cognitive tasks tapping into working memory and planning. Our study revealed that differences in language proficiency, independently of language modality (signed or spoken), are positively correlated with neural activity and functional connectivity within regions of the task-positive network during working memory in deaf adults. Furthermore, compared to hearing participants, the deaf group showed distinctive patterns of neural activity and connectivity during working memory task performance in task-dependent regions of the brain. Taken together, our findings emphasise the profound impact of early environmental experiences on brain responses during cognitive processing. Specifically, they highlight the role of language proficiency in shaping and supporting high-order cognition in the brain. Significance statementHigher-order cognitive abilities, such as working memory and planning, are essential for human activity. They enable the coordination of mental processes and goal-directed behaviour. When successfully executing cognitive tasks, the human brain exhibits systematic patterns of neural activity and connectivity in the frontal and parietal regions. In this study, we investigated whether the control of nonverbal cognition is influenced by differences in language proficiency at the level of the functional organisation of the brain. Our study showed that differences in language proficiency in deaf individuals are positively associated with neural activity and functional connectivity within the task-positive brain regions during working memory. These findings offer compelling evidence for the critical role of access to a natural language in scaffolding the neural mechanisms that support higher-order cognition. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between language proficiency and cognitive processing, highlighting the importance of early language access in modulating and shaping brain function. Revealing the contribution of a developed language system to the formation of cognitive networks has implications not only for understanding the processes underlying cognitive development and functioning but also for informing policy and practice in relation to education and language access.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Sensory experience modulates the reorganisation of temporal auditory regions for executive processing

Crossmodal plasticity refers to the reorganisation of sensory cortices in the absence of their main sensory input. Understanding this phenomenon provides insights into brain function and its potential for change and enhancement. Using fMRI, we investigated how early deafness influences crossmodal plasticity and the organisation of executive functions in the adult human brain. Results from a range of visual executive function tasks (working memory, task switching, planning, inhibition) show that deaf individuals specifically recruit "auditory" regions during task switching. Neural activity in superior temporal regions, most significantly in the right hemisphere, are good predictors of behavioural performance during task switching in the deaf group, highlighting the functional relevance of the observed cortical reorganisation. Our results show executive processing in typically sensory regions, suggesting that the development and ultimate role of brain regions are influenced by perceptual environmental experience.

neuroscience↗