Overview
- Researchers from the University of Reading, the University of Minnesota and Amsterdam report the findings in Nature, based on scans taken as volunteers viewed short scenes from commercial films.
- Dorsal visual areas mapped screen location to corresponding body regions, while ventral visual areas tracked the specific body part being viewed regardless of where it appeared on screen.
- Scenes featuring faces, hands or feet selectively engaged matching body-part representations, indicating that vision alone can evoke touch-related brain activity.
- The film‑viewing approach is presented as a gentle way to study sensory integration in varied populations, with researchers noting exploratory potential for autism research and possible diagnostic use.
- Authors describe cross‑talk between senses operating both ways, noting that touch can help the visual system construct spatial maps when visual input is limited.