Altered motor cortex excitability by colour perception as a hint for cross-modal plasticity

Aims: Colour affects not only the emotional state, but also cognitive performance and perception of other sensory modalities such as tone or smell. However, very little is known about the neuronal mechanisms which account for these cross-modal interactions. To explore neurobiological mechanisms of these synaesthetic phenomena, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess the impact of colour perception on motor cortex excitability. Material and Methods: Transcranial magnetic stimulation allows to assess non-invasively the integrity and excitability patterns of cortical and subcortical networks. Usin…