ERP and fMRI Studies of Visual Attention

描述(申请人提供)：选择性注意是一种认知能力，能够处理相关刺激，同时将无关和/或分散注意力的事件的干扰降至最低。这项研究的总体目标是阐明注意过程的神经机制，以便测试特定的自愿注意模型，并提供与诊断和治疗包括注意力缺陷在内的疾病相关的基本科学信息。事件相关电位(ERPs)和脑电(EEG)中的振荡活动与心理物理测量相结合，将为注意力控制和刺激选择提供高时间分辨率的神经活动测量。功能磁共振成像(FMRI)将被用来识别与注意控制和选择有关的神经解剖系统和网络。这项应用有三个具体目的：(1)确定准备注意过程中视觉皮质背景神经活动的变化如何影响选择性感觉加工和表现；(2)确定准备注意在上升感觉加工过程中在建立注意选择中心中的作用；(3)确定注意选择中的目标易化和分心抑制过程的机制。在整个拟议的研究中，EEG/ERPs和fMRI的联合使用将为注意机制的时间进程和功能解剖提供补充措施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Selective attention is a cognitive ability that enables the processing of relevant stimuli while minimizing interference from irrelevant and/or distracting events. An overall goal of the research proposed here is to elucidate the neural mechanisms of attentional processes in order to test specific models of voluntary attention and provide basic science information relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that include deficits of attention. In conjunction with psychophysical measures, event-related potentials (ERPs) and oscillatory activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG) will provide high temporal resolution measures of neural activity supporting attentional control and stimulus selection. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be employed to identify the neuroanatomical systems and networks involved in attentional control and selection. This application has three specific aims: (1) Determine how changes in background neural activity in visual cortex during preparatory attention influence selective sensory processing and performance; (2) Determine the role of preparatory attention in establishing the locus of attentional selection during ascending sensory processing; and (3) Determine the mechanisms of target facilitation and distractor inhibition processes in attentional selection. Throughout the proposed research, the combined use of EEG/ERPs and fMRI will provide complementary measures of the time course and functional anatomy of attentional mechanisms.