Our ability to integrate the senses shapes our perception and interaction with the world. In later life, sensory perception in each of the senses declines and the brain relies on intergrating all of the senses. However, combining sensory information that needs to be kept separate can lead to errors in how we perceive the environment.
The aim of the Perceptual Function strand is to investigate decline in multisensory perception as a modifiable cause of decline in ability to navigate the environment, find objects, and perceive speech. We found that faulty multisensory integration could be a previously ignored cause of falls. Using technology developed in TRIL, we aim to improve how we diagnose deficits in combining sensory information during ageing. We are also developing training routines to improve perceptual abilities using targeted interventions based on multisensory function.