SAN DIEGO — Scientists have been working to understand how we sense the world around us. These findings will be presented at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Senses are critical for processing the outside world. The nervous system sends signals to the brain, where they are interpreted and processed, creating our ability to see, hear, smell, taste, balance, and feel pain and touch. Neuroscientists are investigating key questions about how the brain processes certain sensory information, how sensory capabilities develop, and the mechanisms underlying sensory dysfunctions.
Today’s new findings show that:
"Everything we know about the world comes from our senses converting energy to signals that are interpreted in the brain,” said Benjamin A. Rowland, PhD , professor of translational neuroscience at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and moderator of the press conference. “It is essential for us to understand how these processes work to enhance their performance, rehabilitate disorders and build functional artificial systems with biological inspirations. The presentations highlight how cutting-edge technologies are being used to help us reach these goals.”
For complete access to Neuroscience 2025 in-person and online, request media credentials . This research was supported by national funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health and private funding organizations.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
9–10 a.m. PST
San Diego Convention Center, Room 15A, and online for registered media
Sensory Press Conference Summary
Characterizing and decoding tickle responses in humans: A multimodal approach
Konstantina Kilteni, konstantina.kilteni@ki.se , Abstract PSTR298.19
Mcgurk perception in 165 humans tested in-person and 165 artificial neural networks
Michael Beauchamp, Michael.Beauchamp@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu , Abstract PSTR173.14
Direct brain recordings showing neural prioritization of speech over music in children
Liberty Hamilton, liberty.hamilton@berkeley.edu , Abstract PSTR222.12
Awakening normal cortical sound processing and perception in deaf adult mice lacking all developmental auditory experience
Daniel Polley, Daniel_Polley@meei.harvard.edu , Abstract PSTR280.04
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The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 30,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system