Probing Neural Correlates of Cue Integration

This chapter reviews neural correlates of cue integration in two distinct neural systems (one perceptual, the other sensorimotor), both in nonhuman primates. The first involves structures involved with the integration of somatic and visual cues during visually guided reaching. As with most behavioral neurophysiology, these studies focus on analyses of spiking activity (i.e., the mean firing rate of extracellular action potentials). However, it has become increasingly clear that analyses of other "nonspiking" signals such as local field potentials (LFPs) can provide important additional insights into the neural mechanisms of perceptual and motor processes, including cue integration. Thus, the chapter also reviews recent work conducted in a system where LFP modulations have been observed during integration, that is, the audiovisual perceptual system. It discusses the combined analysis of spikes and LFPs as a potentially fruitful avenue for investigations into the neural correlates of cue integration.