Multi-modal and bi-directional effects of a synthetic Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) analogue, Nabilone, on spatio-temporal binding windows: Evidence from the projected hand illusion.

Abnormally widened spatial and temporal binding windows (SBW/TBWs; length of space/time whereby stimuli are considered part of the same percept) are observed in schizophrenia. TBW alterations have been associated with altered sense of agency (hereafter referred to as agency), and an associative relationship between embodiment (body ownership) and agency has been proposed. SBWs/TBWs are investigated separately, but no evidence exists of these being separate in mechanism, system or function.

Bi-directional and multi-modal effects of dexamphetamine on spatial binding windows in healthy individuals.

Objectives: Stimuli that are separated by a short window of space or time, known as spatial and temporal binding windows (SBW/TBWs), may be perceived as separate. Widened TBWs are evidenced in schizophrenia, although it is unclear if the SBW is similarly affected. The current study aimed to assess if dexamphetamine (DEX) may increase SBWs in a multimodal visuo-tactile illusion, potentially validating usefulness as an experimental model for multimodal visuo-tactile hallucinations in schizophrenia, and to examine a possible association between altered binding windows (BWs) and working memory (WM) suggested by previous research.

Dexamphetamine increased speech and visual unimodal illusions in healthy participants without affecting temporal binding window.

Objective: Stimuli received beyond a very short timeframe, known as temporal binding windows (TBWs), are perceived as separate events. In previous audio-visual multisensory integration (McGurk effect) studies, widening of TBWs has been observed in people with schizophrenia. The present study aimed to determine if dexamphetamine could increase TBWs in unimodal auditory and unimodal visual illusions that may have some validity as experimental models for auditory and visual hallucinations in psychotic disorders.