Effects of hearing acuity on visual perception and cognitive function

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A fundamental question in neuroscience and psychology is how sensory acuity (e.g., the ability to use vision, hearing, touch, etc.) shapes behaviours, adaptations, and cognitive processes that we use to understand our world and act within it. The proposed program takes innovative steps to tackle this question by investigating a form of sensory adaptation that occurs when acuity in one sense declines, thereby forcing the brain to use other senses or cognitive strategies to compensate. For example, when hearing loss reduces auditory acuity and sound information is less clear, an individual relies more on vision to communicate and sense the environment. While this demonstrates our remarkable ability to adapt, it also opens valuable opportunities to learn how sensory systems biased toward vision affect multisensory perception, learning, and cognitive flexibility. The program will use hearing decline as a natural model to better understand properties of healthy sensory systems, and addresses three unanswered questions: (1) How does a reliance on visual information facilitate multisensory cognition? (2) Do "brain states" that are primed for enhanced vision help a person learn visual information more optimally? (3) Does a long-term reliance on vision ease the burden on cognitive resources that are needed for auditory perception? To address these questions, this program will train a diverse team of highly qualified personnel (HQP), and uses perceptual and cognitive testing alongside brain measurements that are analyzed using cutting-edge methods. The studies described will use ecologically valid audio and audiovisual signals, such as natural human speech, as a basis for studying visual perceptual bias and multisensory interactions in order to amplify the generalizability and usability of findings. The training environment that houses the program affords high-value opportunities for students to develop their knowledge of psychology and neuroscience principles, and teaches them essential skills in communication, critical thinking, statistical modeling, programming, and digital signal processing. This program is expected to generate new theoretical insights into the relationship between hearing, vision, and overall brain function and behaviour. The knowledge gained is useful for several applications in sensory engineering (e.g., auditory prostheses such as hearing aids and cochlear implants), optimized sensory learning, and clinical contexts. HQP will learn valuable natural science and engineering skills that will help them become the next generation of researchers, scientists, and professional leaders.