Effects of Visual, Auditory, and Combined Cues on Human Movement and Brain Regions Involved in Perception Action

Abstract

Background:  Sensory stimuli such as visual and auditory cues are important to perceive our surroundings accurately. The effects of visual, auditory, or combined cues to modulate human movements such as walking are well-reported in the neuroscience literature. To date, no comprehensive report has summarized these findings. Objective: The primary aim of this narrative review is to synthesize the literature on the interaction of visual, auditory, and combined cues of movement, as well as to present specific brain regions involved in perception-action. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature of published scientific work was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar.  Only English language articles that reported on visual, auditory, or combined cues and human movements were selected. Literature that included biofeedback was excluded. Results:  The literature suggests that visual and auditory cues have the potential to induce deviation in human movements. The posterior superior temporal sulcus and mirror neuron networks are shown to be critical in multimodal sensory integration. Conclusion: This review presents some important theoretical models and outlines the brain regions involved in sensorimotor synchronization in human movement. Individual visual, auditory, or combined cues may have the potential to develop therapeutic interventions in the rehabilitation of movement disorders.