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PROVIDENCE: Ever wondered how people manage to pay attention in noisy, bustling environments? A groundbreaking study by researchers at Brown University’s Carney Institute for Brain Science sheds light on the intricate brain mechanisms that enable individuals to focus amidst distraction. Published in Nature Human Behaviour, the study offers unprecedented insights into attentional processes and their role in mental dexterity.
Lead author Harrison Ritz, a neuroscientist and former Ph.D. student at Brown, likened the brain’s coordination during attention tasks to orchestrating muscle movements for physical tasks. He emphasized that just as numerous muscles collaborate for intricate physical activities, the brain coordinates various forms of attention for mental agility.
“In our study, we found that the brain can coordinate multiple attentional functions akin to coordinating muscle activity for complex physical tasks,” explained Ritz.
The research provides not only insights into attentional mechanisms but also implications for understanding attention-related disorders like ADHD, noted co-author Amitai Shenhav, an associate professor at Brown.
“The findings offer crucial insights into human cognitive flexibility and limitations, informing our understanding of attention-related disorders,” Shenhav remarked.
To conduct the study, Ritz administered cognitive tasks to participants while monitoring their brain activity using fMRI. Participants were tasked with identifying features of swirling dots, with the difficulty varying across exercises.
Ritz and Shenhav analyzed brain activity patterns, revealing how two brain regions, the intraparietal sulcus and the anterior cingulate cortex, collaborate during attention tasks. Ritz compared the intraparietal sulcus to a radio dial with two knobs, adjusting focus and filtering based on task demands. Meanwhile, the anterior cingulate cortex tracks task difficulty and directs adjustments in attentional focus.
“These findings challenge the misconception that mental limitations arise from a lack of capacity, emphasizing instead the complexity of mental coordination,” Ritz elaborated.
The study’s implications extend beyond basic research, with ongoing projects exploring attentional strategies in patients with depression and the role of motivation in attention. Collaborations with physician-scientists aim to translate these findings into clinical contexts.
Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, the study underscores the significance of understanding attentional processes for cognitive health and clinical interventions. As research continues, the study’s insights promise to inform strategies for enhancing attention and addressing attention-related challenges.
