# Emergence of sensory attenuation based upon the free-energy principle

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.02666 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.02666/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 2 of its 51 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 4 Nov 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6980/) (2014)
- [Designing spontaneous behavioral switching via chaotic itinerancy](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.08332/) (2020)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [EASE: Embodied Active Event Perception via Self-Supervised Energy Minimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.17516/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The brain attenuates its responses to self-produced exteroceptions (e.g., we cannot tickle ourselves). Is this phenomenon, known as sensory attenuation, enabled innately, or acquired through learning? Here, our simulation study using a multimodal hierarchical recurrent neural network model, based on variational free-energy minimization, shows that a mechanism for sensory attenuation can develop through learning of two distinct types of sensorimotor experience, involving self-produced or externally produced exteroceptions. For each sensorimotor context, a particular free-energy state emerged through interaction between top-down prediction with precision and bottom-up sensory prediction error from each sensory area. The executive area in the network served as an information hub. Consequently, shifts between the two sensorimotor contexts triggered transitions from one free-energy state to another in the network via executive control, which caused shifts between attenuating and amplifying prediction-error-induced responses in the sensory areas. This study situates emergence of sensory attenuation (or self-other distinction) in development of distinct free-energy states in the dynamic hierarchical neural system.