The brain perceives the passage of time thanks to the same structure that controls the sensation of touch: it is possible thanks to the dual function of the area of the brain called the somatosensory cortex.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the discovery is thanks to the group from the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, coordinated by Mathew Diamond.
The discovery was possible thanks to research conducted on rats using optogenetics, the technique that allows the activity of neurons to be modulated using light.
In this way it was possible to identify the connection between the perception of a stimulus and that of its duration.
As a result, the first demonstration was obtained that the perception of time is generated by a widespread network of brain areas with different functions.
“The neural mechanisms underlying the perception of the duration of sensory events are not yet fully understood,” notes Diamond.
"It is believed that, rather than relying on a single dedicated center, the perception of time derives from networks of neurons distributed across various regions. The results of our study – he adds – demonstrate that the sensory processing phase of the cortex is a component of this network. This means that a population of cortical neurons can give rise to two distinct sensory experiences, thus emphasizing the interconnected nature of the perception of time and touch."
The key to beginning to explore this network of relationships is in the use of light.
"If there is a behavioral effect of the optogenetic intervention, the only possible explanation – notes Diamond – is that the targeted neurons are somehow involved. A mathematical model has also been built to indicate the possible cellular mechanisms that contribute to the activity of neurons involved in perception.
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