Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating
Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive mechanism that allows our brain to preferentially process relevant sensory information, while filtering out distracting information. Attention is thought to flexibly gate the communication of irrelevant information through top-down alpha-rhythmic (8–12 ...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-02-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921010545 |
| _version_ | 1798034213883084800 |
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| author | Mattia F. Pagnotta David Pascucci Gijs Plomp |
| author_facet | Mattia F. Pagnotta David Pascucci Gijs Plomp |
| author_sort | Mattia F. Pagnotta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive mechanism that allows our brain to preferentially process relevant sensory information, while filtering out distracting information. Attention is thought to flexibly gate the communication of irrelevant information through top-down alpha-rhythmic (8–12 Hz) functional connections, which influence early visual processing. However, the dynamic effects of top-down influence on downstream visual processing remain unknown. Here, we used electroencephalography to investigate local and network effects of selective attention while subjects attended to distinct features of identical stimuli. We found that attention-related changes in the functional brain network organization emerge shortly after stimulus onset, accompanied by an overall decrease of functional connectivity. Signatures of attentional selection were evident from a sequential release from alpha-band parietal gating in feature-selective areas. The directed connectivity paths and temporal evolution of this release from gating were consistent with the sensory effect of each feature, providing a neural basis for how visual processing quickly prioritizes relevant information in functionally specialized areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:41:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd6f231aa4c34741b930da694ddb00a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:41:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd6f231aa4c34741b930da694ddb00a42022-12-22T04:04:13ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722022-02-01246118782Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gatingMattia F. Pagnotta0David Pascucci1Gijs Plomp2Perceptual Networks Group, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; Corresponding author.Perceptual Networks Group, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, SwitzerlandPerceptual Networks Group, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, SwitzerlandSelective attention is a fundamental cognitive mechanism that allows our brain to preferentially process relevant sensory information, while filtering out distracting information. Attention is thought to flexibly gate the communication of irrelevant information through top-down alpha-rhythmic (8–12 Hz) functional connections, which influence early visual processing. However, the dynamic effects of top-down influence on downstream visual processing remain unknown. Here, we used electroencephalography to investigate local and network effects of selective attention while subjects attended to distinct features of identical stimuli. We found that attention-related changes in the functional brain network organization emerge shortly after stimulus onset, accompanied by an overall decrease of functional connectivity. Signatures of attentional selection were evident from a sequential release from alpha-band parietal gating in feature-selective areas. The directed connectivity paths and temporal evolution of this release from gating were consistent with the sensory effect of each feature, providing a neural basis for how visual processing quickly prioritizes relevant information in functionally specialized areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921010545Feature-based attentionAlpha rhythmInhibitory gatingFunctional connectivity |
| spellingShingle | Mattia F. Pagnotta David Pascucci Gijs Plomp Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating NeuroImage Feature-based attention Alpha rhythm Inhibitory gating Functional connectivity |
| title | Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| title_full | Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| title_fullStr | Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| title_full_unstemmed | Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| title_short | Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| title_sort | selective attention involves a feature specific sequential release from inhibitory gating |
| topic | Feature-based attention Alpha rhythm Inhibitory gating Functional connectivity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811921010545 |
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