Attention: social and affective processing

注意力是一种重要的认知功能，它使我们能够动态地选择和增强对 在我们的环境中的刺激是最相关的或最高优先级的每一个时刻。引导 对刺激的注意力会导致感知阈值降低，反应时间（RT）加快， 辨别准确度在上一个资助期，本项目使用功能性磁共振 脑功能磁共振成像（fMRI）和头皮记录的事件相关电位（ERP）研究的神经机制， 关注这些研究包括注意力对感官加工的调节作用， 通路，自上而下的控制机制，完成调制，执行和注意力 与刺激冲突相关的过程，以及多通道注意过程。 另一个关键的认知功能是我们能够快速和正确地感知刺激和线索， 这对成功的社会交往也很重要。在以前的工作中，我们也研究了大脑 社会感知的各个方面的潜在机制。这包括着重于查明 特定脑区的功能，包括梭状回（FFG）和上级的作用 颞沟（STS）区域在处理面部和眼睛凝视。 在目前拟议的项目中，我们的目标是充分整合这两条调查线索， 参与视觉空间注意控制的系统之间的神经和认知相互作用， 参与社会感知的那些，特别是那些与面孔处理，面部情绪， 凝视。我们将从自上而下的角度研究这些相互作用（即，的影响和 注意力对处理这些社会相关刺激的重要性），并从自下而上的角度来看， (i.e.,这些因素如何吸引、捕获和/或以其他方式影响我们的注意力）。我们将使用功能磁共振成像 和头皮记录的ERPs来研究这些相互作用， 参与这些相互作用，而且其激活的时间和顺序，从而增强我们的 了解潜在的机制。 各种神经系统疾病，如注意力缺陷障碍、阿尔茨海默病和自闭症， 对注意力和社会感知能力都有不利影响。脑卒中后创伤性脑损伤 也可能导致注意力、社会感知和情感处理的严重损害。的 拟议的研究将提供重要的信息，可用于更好地了解这些神经系统 疾病并开发有效的治疗方法。

Attention is a critical cognitive function that allows us to dynamically select and enhance the processing of the stimuli in our environment that are the most relevant or highest priority at each moment. Directing attention to a stimulus leads to lower perceptual thresholds, faster reaction times (RTs), and increased discrimination accuracy. In the previous grant period, this project used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and scalp-recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the neural mechanisms of attention. These included studies of the modulatory effects of attention on processing in the sensory pathways, the top-down control mechanisms that accomplish that modulation, executive and attentional processes related to stimulus conflict, and intermodal attentional processes. Another critical cognitive function is our ability to rapidly and correctly perceive stimuli and cues related to, and important for, successful social interactions. In previous work, we have also investigated the brain mechanisms underlying various aspects of social perception. This has included work focused on identifying the functions subserved by specific brain regions, including the role of the fusiform gyrus (FFG) and superior temporal sulcus (STS) regions in the processing of faces and eye gaze. In the currently proposed project, we aim to fully integrate these two lines of inquiry and investigate the neural and cognitive interactions between the systems involved in the control of visual spatial attention and those involved in social perception, particularly those related to the processing of faces, face emotion, and eye gaze. We will study these interactions both from a top-down standpoint (i.e., the influence and importance of attention on the processing of these socially relevant stimuli) and from a bottom-up standpoint (i.e., how these factors can attract, capture, and/or otherwise influence our attention). We will use both fMRI and scalp-recorded ERPs to investigate these interactions in order to delineate not only the brain areas involved in these interactions, but also the timing and sequence of their activations, thereby enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms. A variety of neurological disorders, such as attention-deficit disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and autism, have adverse effects on both attentional and social perception capabilities. Traumatic brain injury following stroke can also result in dramatic impairments in attention, social perception, and affective processing. The proposed studies will provide important information that can be used to better understand these neurological disorders and develop effective treatments.