Abstract
Some researches revealed the relationship between multisensory integration and EEG oscillations. Previous studies revealed that the visuotactile integration process could be explained by gamma and theta band oscillation. In addition, recent studies have showed the possibility that a coupling between oscillations at the different frequency bands plays an important role on the multisensory integration system. This study aimed to investigate whether the gamma and theta oscillations show the coupling during the visuotactile integration. Using congruency effect paradigm only for left hand, we measured scalp EEG during simultaneous presentation of “spatially congruent” or “spatially incongruent” visuotactile stimuli. In Experiment 1, the proportion of the spatially congruent trials (80% vs 20%) was changed across the experimental blocks. The results showed that the relationship between gamma power and theta phase at the parietal area was modulated by the proportion. In Experiment 2, the saliency of the vibration stimulus (0dB vs −20dB) was changed across trials. The results showed that the relationship between gamma power and theta phase was immune to the saliency. These results suggest that multisensory integration process has a plasticity, which is modulated by the proportion of congruent trial, and the process could be explained by the coupling between gamma/theta oscillations.