Selective Attention Processes Research Articles

Electrocortical evidence for the time course processes of attentional bias toward infant faces

Previous behavioral studies have demonstrated that adults show initial orientation toward neutral infant faces compared to neutral adult faces. However, it is unclear whether the initial orientation toward infant faces is sustained and whether attentional bias toward infant faces exists under different emotional valences. In the present study, event-related potentials were recorded while nulliparous women performed a dot-probe task to identify the time course processes involved in attentional bias toward infant faces. Three face pair types were used in the task; each face pair type contained one infant facial expression (happy, neutral, or sad) and one adult facial expression with the same emotional valence. An early N2pc was observed for each face pair type, which suggests that there was initial orientation toward infant faces irrespective of emotional valence. The absence of sustained posterior contralateral negativity in all face pair types indicated that attentional orientation was not sustained at the later stage of attentional selection. In addition, an inverted late N2pc was observed for the happy face pairs and may reflect a “happy superiority effect” in attentional selection processing.

The impact of type 1 diabetes on neural activity serving attention.

Type 1 diabetes has been associated with alterations in attentional processing and other cognitive functions, and previous studies have found alterations in both brain structure and function in affected patients. However, these previous neuroimaging studies have generally examined older patients, particularly those with major comorbidities known to affect functioning independent of diabetes. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the neural dynamics of selective attention processing in a young group of patients with type 1 diabetes who were otherwise healthy (i.e., without major comorbidities). Our hypothesis was that these patients would exhibit significant aberrations in attention circuitry relative to closely matched controls. The final sample included 69 participants age 19-35 years old, 35 with type 1 diabetes and 34 matched nondiabetic controls, who completed an Eriksen flanker task while undergoing magnetoencephalography. Significant group differences in flanker interference activity were found across a network of brain regions, including the anterior cingulate, inferior parietal cortices, paracentral lobule, and the left precentral gyrus. In addition, neural activity in the anterior cingulate and the paracentral lobule was correlated with disease duration in patients with type 1 diabetes. These findings suggest that alterations in the neural circuitry underlying selective attention emerge early in the disease process and are specifically related to type 1 diabetes and not common comorbidities. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal studies in large cohorts to clarify the clinical implications of type 1 diabetes on cognition and the brain.

Electrophysiological correlates of active suppression and attentional selection in preview visual search

Advance preview of a subset of distractor objects improves the efficiency of visual search performance, but the causes and mechanisms of such preview benefits remain unclear. Here, we employed event-related potential (ERP) markers of the selective processing of preview displays and full search displays in lateralised preview search tasks where only one side of the search displays was task-relevant. Preview displays elicited a sustained positivity contralateral to the relevant side (PD component), indicative of the active suppression of distractor objects on this side. Lateralised ERP components to full search displays revealed qualitative differences between attentional selection processes on preview as compared to no-preview trials. When search displays were preceded by preview displays, attention was directly allocated to target objects, while distractors remained unattended. When all search display objects were presented simultaneously (no-preview), attention was directed non-selectively to objects on the task-relevant side, even when no target was present. These results suggest that behavioural preview effects in visual search can be accounted for by the inhibition of previewed distractors, and the subsequent rapid attentional selection of target objects on preview trials.

How minimal variations in neuronal cytoskeletal integrity modulate cognitive control

Until recently, investigating microscopic changes in the integrity of human brain matter has not been possible in vivo. It has hence remained unknown whether and how small non-pathological variations in cytoskeletal neuronal integrity affect human cognitive functioning. We investigated the role of neuronal cytoskeleton integrity for complex multicomponent behavior, which is relevant to real-life situations, as complex goals are often achieved by assembling a series of sub-tasks. For this, we quantified scaffolding proteins (i.e. neurofilament light; NF-L) using a single-molecule array (SIMOA), a new and uniquely ultra-sensitive method, and integrated this with behavioral and neurophysiological (EEG) data. For the first time, we showcase that slightest non-pathological variations in cytoskeletal integrity strongly modulate the efficiency of cognitive control processes. We show that the architecture and efficiency of theta-oscillations networks during cognitive control processes reflects a mechanism that establishes the relationship between neuronal cytoskeleton integrity and multicomponent behavior. Attentional selection processes do however not seem to play a role. The efficiency and network architecture of theta oscillations provides an important missing neural link that helps to explain how diffuse and seemingly miniscule variations in neuronal integrity may lead to reduced or even impaired cognitive functioning that is important for everyday activities.

Neural dynamics of selective attention deficits in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder.

ObjectiveTo identify the neural markers of attention dysfunction in patients with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND).MethodsSixty participants, including 40 HIV-infected adults (half with HAND) and 20 demographically matched controls performed a visual selective attention task while undergoing high-density magnetoencephalography. Neuronal activity related to selective attention processing was quantified and compared across the 3 groups, and correlated with neuropsychological measures of attention and executive function. Spontaneous neural activity was also extracted from these attention-related cortical areas and examined with respect to HAND status.ResultsHIV-infected participants with and without HAND exhibited behavioral selective attention deficits on the magnetoencephalography task, as indicated by an increased flanker effect. Neuronal measures of flanker interference activity in the alpha and theta range revealed differential dynamics in attention-related brain areas across the 3 groups, especially in those with HAND. In addition, theta range flanker interference activity in the left inferior frontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was associated with executive function and attention composite scores, respectively. Progressively stronger spontaneous alpha and theta activity was also found in unimpaired HIV-infected and HAND participants relative to controls across brain regions implicated in different components of attention processing.ConclusionsBehavioral and neuronal metrics of selective attention performance distinguish participants with HAND from controls and unimpaired HIV-infected participants. These metrics, along with measures of local spontaneous neural activity, may hold promise as early markers of cognitive decline in participants with HIV infection and be useful prognostic indicators for HAND.

Physical intensity of stimuli modulates motor inhibition by affecting response selection processes in right inferior frontal regions

Response inhibition is a central aspect of cognitive control. Yet, only recently the role of sensory mechanisms for response inhibition has been addressed and neurophysiological mechanisms are far from being understood. Here we ask in how far the physical intensity of stimuli is a relevant perceptual factor modulating motor inhibitory control. We investigated how different physical (objective) stimulus and the subjectively perceived stimulus magnitude modulated response inhibition and its neurophysiological correlates. To this end we used a somatosensory GO/NOGO task in combination with EEG recordings and applied temporal signal decomposition and source localization methods. The behavioral (false alarm) data clearly demonstrated that response inhibition performance was worse in the subjective and objective stimulation condition as compared to the reference stimulation condition with higher stimulus magnitude. Despite primary perceptual aspects were manipulated, neurophysiological correlates of lower-level perceptual and attentional selection processes did not explain effects on overt response inhibition behavior. Rather, neurophysiological processes at the response selection level were modulated. These were associated with activation differences in the right inferior frontal gyrus and suggest that “braking processes” enabling the inhibition of a to-be-executed motor response were modulated. The modulation of these braking processes depends on objective physical magnitude of incoming sensory information and not the subjectively perceived stimulus magnitude.

Executive functions, selective attention and information processing in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder: A study from west of Iran.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Deeper and wider knowledge of the cognitive components of these patients can play an important role in better understanding of this disorder. This study aimed to compare executive function, selective attention and information processing in OCD patients and healthy controls. The current study was performed on 54 patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for OCD and 54 healthy subjects who matched with patients in gender, age, marital and educational status. The cognitive functions were assessed by The Stroop test, Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test (WCST), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). The performance of the OCD group was significantly worse than the healthy group in comparison with the all subscales of the Stroop and WSCT tests. Also, functions in information processing among two groups were statistically significant for 3- and 2-second PASAT. The results demonstrated that OCD patients have deficits in several aspects of cognitive functions. Hence, the treatment of these patients can be contributed by paying more attention to these deficits.

Memory-guided selective attention: Single experiences with conflict have long-lasting effects on cognitive control.

Adjustments in cognitive control, as measured by congruency sequence effects, are thought to be influenced by both external stimuli and internal goals. However, this dichotomy has often overshadowed the potential contribution of past experience stored in memory. Here, we examine the role of long-term episodic memory in guiding selective attention. Our aim was to demonstrate new evidence that selective attention can be modulated by long-term retrieval of stimulus-specific attentional control settings. All the experiments used a modified flanker task involving multiple unique stimuli. Critically, each stimulus was only presented twice during the experiment: first as a prime, and second as a probe. Experiments 1 and 2 varied the number of intervening trials between prime and probe and manipulated the amount of conflict using a secondary task. Experiment 3 ensured that specific colors assigned to prime stimuli were not repeated when presented as probes. Across both Experiments 1 and 2, we consistently found smaller congruency effects on probe trials when its associated prime trial was incongruent compared with congruent, demonstrating long-term congruency sequence effects. However, Experiment 3 showed no evidence for long-term effects. These findings suggest long-term preservation of selective attention processing at the episodic level, and implicate a role for memory in updating cognitive control. (PsycINFO Database Record

Object–Color Stroop Task to Assess Selective Attention in “True” and “Legally Considered” Juvenile Delinquents

The present study compared selective attention processing among juvenile delinquents of two different citizenships and matched control groups. The sample consisted of 70 “true” juvenile delinquents (Indian citizen—charged for theft, rape or murder), 54 “legally considered” delinquents (Bangladesh citizens—charged only with illegal immigration), and 70 matched control group of Indian citizens. They were tested on object–color Stroop task designed specifically with objects typically found in South Asia. Results show that participants had taken less time in typical condition (for example, red color of red apple) compared to atypical condition (blue color of red apple). This behavioral characteristic is more specifically present in Bangladeshi delinquents and non-delinquent controls, while Indian delinquents are different from both on this measure. Demographic variables also have an influence on performance. Differences in selective attention processing were found between “true” and “legally considered” juvenile delinquents. Furthermore, the age of participants also had an influence on performance. These findings together suggest establishment of separate observation homes for juvenile delinquents. Furthermore, this is the first study to test response modulation hypothesis among offenders with psychopathic traits in an Asian country.

A Computing Model of Selective Attention for Service Robot Based on Spatial Data Fusion

Robots and humans are facing the same problem: they all need to face a lot of perceptual information and choose valuable information. Before the robots provide services, they need to complete a robust real-time selective attention process in the domestic environment. Visual attention mechanism is an important part of human perception, which enables humans to select the visual focus on the most potential interesting information. It also could dominate the allocation of computing resource. It also could focus human’s attention on valuable objects in the home environment. Therefore we are trying to transfer visual attention selection mechanism to the scene analysis of service robots. This will greatly improve the robot’s efficiency in perception and processing information. We proposed a computing model of selective attention which is biologically inspired by visual attention mechanism, which aims at predicting focus of attention (FOA) in a domestic environment. Both static features and dynamic features are composed in attention selection computing process. Information from sensor networks is transformed and incorporated into the model. FOA is selected based on a winner-take-all (WTA) network and rotated by inhibition of return (IOR) principle. The experimental results showed that this approach is robust to the partial occlusions, scale-change illumination, and variations. The result demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach with available literature on biological evidence. Some specific domestic service tasks are also tailored to this model.

Cognitive assessment of patients without brain injury at ICU discharge, comparison with mild and moderate traumatic brain injury patients. Preliminary results

Significant cognitive impairment after ICU stays in up to 40% of patients without any initial brain damage has been reported. This is a part of the Post Intensive Care Syndrome, alongside motor and psychiatric dysfunctions. In these studies, cognitive evaluation scores are found similar to scores for patients with moderate traumatic brain injury. However, the precise nature and magnitude of the cognitive disorders are not well described. We decided to deepen analysis of cognitive disorders in non-brain injury patients at ICU discharge (No-BI) and develop a comparison with mild and moderate traumatic brain injury patients (TBI). After ICU stay (≥48 hours), we administered outcome measures (GOSE, DRS) and neuropsychological tests to assess global cognitive functioning (MOCA), working memory (digit span), spatial neglect (line bisection), selective attention and speed processing (bells cancellation) to No-BI and TBI patients. Patients with history of neurologic or psychiatric troubles were not included. For each patient, we noted age, gender, initial Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), type of disease, and intubation and sedation periods in ICU. We tested 16 No-BI and 32 TBI. GCS and intubation period were significantly lower for TBI compared to No-BI (respectively P = 0.04 and P = 0.01). The median GOSE for both groups was 5 (lower moderate disability). Neuropsychological measures showed no significant difference between No-BI and TBI patients. Only MOCA (No-BI: 21 ± 5 and TBI: 21 ± 5) and digit span (No-BI: 7 ± 2 and TBI: 7 ± 2) are significantly lower than normality ( P < 0.001 for both, Fig. 1 ). We found no neuropsychological difference between No-BI and TBI patients, confirming the hypothesis that these two populations have comparable global cognitive functioning and working memory impairment at ICU discharge. We need more patients to improve these results. A new evaluation at 12 months will allow discussing a possible recovery.

The guidance of visual search by shape features and shape configurations.

Representations of target features (attentional templates) guide attentional object selection during visual search. In many search tasks, targets objects are defined not by a single feature but by the spatial configuration of their component shapes. We used electrophysiological markers of attentional selection processes to determine whether the guidance of shape configuration search is entirely part-based or sensitive to the spatial relationship between shape features. Participants searched for targets defined by the spatial arrangement of two shape components (e.g., hourglass above circle). N2pc components were triggered not only by targets but also by partially matching distractors with one target shape (e.g., hourglass above hexagon) and by distractors that contained both target shapes in the reverse arrangement (e.g., circle above hourglass), in line with part-based attentional control. Target N2pc components were delayed when a reverse distractor was present on the opposite side of the same display, suggesting that early shape-specific attentional guidance processes could not distinguish between targets and reverse distractors. The control of attention then became sensitive to spatial configuration, which resulted in a stronger attentional bias for target objects relative to reverse and partially matching distractors. Results demonstrate that search for target objects defined by the spatial arrangement of their component shapes is initially controlled in a feature-based fashion but can later be guided by templates for spatial configurations. (PsycINFO Database Record

Visual working memory load disrupts the space-based attentional guidance of target selection.

During visual search, the selection of target objects is guided by stored representations of target-defining features (attentional templates). It is commonly believed that such templates are maintained in visual working memory (WM), but empirical evidence for this assumption remains inconclusive. Here, we tested whether retaining non-spatial object features (shapes) in WM interferes with attentional target selection processes in a concurrent search task that required spatial templates for target locations. Participants memorized one shape (low WM load) or four shapes (high WM load) in a sample display during a retention period. On some trials, they matched them to a subsequent memory test display. On other trials, a search display including two lateral bars in the upper or lower visual field was presented instead, and participants reported the orientation of target bars that were defined by their location (e.g., upper left or lower right). To assess the efficiency of attentional control under low and high WM load, EEG was recorded and the N2pc was measured as a marker of attentional target selection. Target N2pc components were strongly delayed when concurrent WM load was high, indicating that holding multiple object shapes in WM competes with the simultaneous retention of spatial attentional templates for target locations. These observations provide new electrophysiological evidence that such templates are maintained in WM, and also challenge suggestions that spatial and non-spatial contents are represented in separate independent visual WM stores.

Cognitive factors associated with depression and anxiety in adolescents: A two-year longitudinal study

Background/Objective: To examine the roles of anxiety sensitivity and attentional bias in the development of anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents. Method: 214 grade 7 to grade 10 Hong Kong Chinese students completed a package of psychometric inventories to measure levels of anxiety sensitivity, selective attentional processing, and anxiety and depressive symptoms in 2016 and then again in 2017. Results: Girls, when compared with boys, exhibited more anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity in 2016. They also reported a significant increase in mean depression level from 2016 to 2017. Regression analyses revealed that the physical-concerns dimension of anxiety sensitivity, positive attentional bias, and to a lesser extent negative attentional bias were related to the development of both anxiety and depression symptoms one year later. Fear of mental incapacity could predict depression one year later but not anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Intervention through anxiety sensitivity training to reduce somatic concerns and attentional bias modification to increase habitual attention to positive stimuli and to disengage from negative stimuli can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms among high school students.

How socioemotional setting modulates late-stage conflict resolution processes in the lateral prefrontal cortex.

The goal-directed control of behaviour critically depends on emotional regulation and constitutes the basis of mental well-being and social interactions. Within a socioemotional setting, it is necessary to prioritize effectively the relevant emotional information over interfering irrelevant emotional information to orchestrate cognitive resources and achieve appropriate behavior. Currently, it is elusive whether and how different socioemotional stimulus dimensions modulate cognitive control and conflict resolution. Theoretical considerations suggest that interference effects are less detrimental when conflicting emotional information is presented within a "positive socioemotional setting" compared with a "negative socioemotional setting." Using event-related potentials (ERPs) and source localization methods, we examined the basic system neurophysiological mechanisms and functional neuroanatomical structures associated with interactive effects of different interfering facial, socioemotional stimulus dimensions on conflict resolution. We account for interactive effects of different interfering socioemotional stimulus dimensions on conflict resolution, i.e., we show how the socioemotional valence modulates cognitive control (conflict processing). The data show that conflicts are stronger and more difficult to resolve in a negative emotional task-relevant setting than in a positive emotional task-relevant setting, where incongruent information barely induced conflicts. The degree of emotional conflict critically depends on the contextual emotional valence (positive or negative) in which this conflict occurs. The neurophysiological data show that these modulations were only reflected by late-stage conflict resolution processes associated with the middle (MFG) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG). Attentional selection processes and early-stage conflict monitoring do not seem to be modulated by interactive effects of different interfering socioemotional stimulus dimensions on conflict resolution.

Reward history but not search history explains value-driven attentional capture.

In past years, an extensive amount of research has focused on how past experiences guide future attention. Humans automatically attend to stimuli previously associated with reward and stimuli that have been experienced during visual search, even when it is disadvantageous in present situations. Recently, the relationship between "reward history" and "search history" has been discussed critically. We review results from research on value-driven attentional capture (VDAC) with a focus on these two experience-based attentional selection processes and their distinction. To clarify inconsistencies, we examined VDAC within a design that allows a direct comparison with other mechanisms of attentional selection. Eighty-four healthy adults were trained to incidentally associate colors with reward (10 cents, 2 cents) or with no reward. In a subsequent visual search task, distraction by reward-associated and unrewarded stimuli was contrasted. In the training phase, reward signals facilitated performance. When these value-signaling stimuli appeared as distractors in the test phase, they continuously shaped attentional selection, despite their task irrelevance. Our findings clearly cannot be attributed to a history of target search. We conclude that once an association is established, value signals guide attention automatically in new situations, which can be beneficial or not, depending on the congruency with current goals.

F75. Selective Attention Processes in ADHD: Evidence From a Modified Stroop- Flanker Task

F75. Selective Attention Processes in ADHD: Evidence From a Modified Stroop- Flanker Task

Selective Attention and Working Memory Under Spatial Disorientation in a Flight Simulator

ABSTRACTObjective: The aim of this study was to test the effects of visual and vestibular spatial disorientation on the cognitive performance of military aviators while they were piloting a flight simulator.Background: Spatial disorientation (SD), the inability to correctly determine the position and orientation of the aircraft in relation to the ground, poses a serious threat in aviation and can impair the cognitive performance of pilots while flying. More evidence is needed on the effects of visual and vestibular SD on cognition in flight simulators.Method: Pilots performed an auditory selective attention (duration discrimination) task (Experiment 1, N = 16) or an auditory working memory (N-back) task (Experiment 2, N = 16) while completing 6 different flight profiles in the disorientation and control conditions in the GYRO-IPT flight simulator. The flight scenarios included 3 visual illusions (false horizon, shape constancy, size constancy) and 3 vestibular illusions (somatogyral illusion, Coriolis effect, the leans).Results: In both experiments the cognitive performance (task accuracy) decreased for flight profiles with the leans illusion. Also, the flight performance (measured as the number of control reversal errors) was worse for the false horizon illusion and for the somatogyral illusion in both experiments.Conclusion: The results suggest that SD, particularly the vestibular illusion of the leans, can impair selective attention and working memory processes.

Effect of language experience on selective auditory attention: An event-related potential study

Dual language experience has typically been shown to improve various executive control functions. We investigated with event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded from early (natively) bilingual speakers and control participants whether it also affects auditory selective attention. We delivered to our participants two tone streams, one to the left and one to the right ear. Both streams consisted of standard tones and two types of infrequent deviant tones which had either an enhanced duration or intensity. The participants were instructed to attend either to the right or left stream and to detect longer-duration deviants in the attended stream. The results showed that the early bilinguals did not outperform the controls in target detection accuracy or speed. However, the late portion of the attention-related ERP modulation (the negative difference, Nd) was larger over the left hemisphere in the early bilinguals than in the controls, suggesting that the maintenance of selective attention or further processing of selectively attended sounds is enhanced in the bilinguals. Moreover, the late reorienting negativity (RON) in response to intensity-deviant tones was larger in the bilinguals, suggesting more efficient disengagement of attention from distracting auditory events. Hence, our results demonstrate that brain responses associated with certain aspects of auditory attention are enhanced in the bilingual adults, indicating that early dual language exposure modulates the neuronal responsiveness of auditory modality.

Disruption in neural phase synchrony is related to identification of inattentional deafness in real-world setting.

Individuals often have reduced ability to hear alarms in real world situations (e.g., anesthesia monitoring, flying airplanes) when attention is focused on another task, sometimes with devastating consequences. This phenomenon is called inattentional deafness and usually occurs under critical high workload conditions. It is difficult to simulate the critical nature of these tasks in the laboratory. In this study, dry electroencephalography is used to investigate inattentional deafness in real flight while piloting an airplane. The pilots participating in the experiment responded to audio alarms while experiencing critical high workload situations. It was found that missed relative to detected alarms were marked by reduced stimulus evoked phase synchrony in theta and alpha frequencies (6-14 Hz) from 120 to 230 ms poststimulus onset. Correlation of alarm detection performance with intertrial coherence measures of neural phase synchrony showed different frequency and time ranges for detected and missed alarms. These results are consistent with selective attentional processes actively disrupting oscillatory coherence in sensory networks not involved with the primary task (piloting in this case) under critical high load conditions. This hypothesis is corroborated by analyses of flight parameters showing greater maneuvering associated with difficult phases of flight occurring during missed alarms. Our results suggest modulation of neural oscillation is a general mechanism of attention utilizing enhancement of phase synchrony to sharpen alarm perception during successful divided attention, and disruption of phase synchrony in brain networks when attentional demands of the primary task are great, such as in the case of inattentional deafness.