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attention

·October 1, 2024·3 min read

Teen Attention Deficits Signal Greater Risk of Substance Use

New research shows that lower sustained attention in adolescence can predict a higher likelihood of cigarette and cannabis use by young adulthood. The study, which analyzed brain imaging data from over 1,000 participants, found that reduced attention at age 14 was linked to increased substance use by age 23.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 23, 2024·7 min read

Dehydration Impairs Attention in Middle-Aged Adults

Mild dehydration can impair sustained attention in middle-aged and older adults, though it doesn't affect other cognitive functions. The study involved 78 adults, ages 47 to 70, and assessed their hydration levels and cognitive performance. Results showed that dehydration, common during typical daily activities, reduced attention span over 14 minutes. The findings highlight the need for regular hydration to maintain cognitive function in older adults.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2024·5 min read

Caffeine’s Double-Edged Sword: Boosting Energy or Risking Health?

The caffeinated beverage industry continues to thrive, with the coffee sector alone generating significant economic activity. Yet, despite its popularity for boosting alertness and physical performance, caffeine, a powerful stimulant, can lead to dependence and exacerbate health issues.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 2, 2024·6 min read

Brainstem Plays Vital Role in Visual Attention

Researchers highlights the locus coeruleus (LC), a small brainstem region, as critical in enhancing visual sensory processing through its production of norepinephrine. In the study scientists used optogenetics to activate these specific neurons in non-human primates, significantly improving their performance in a visual attention task.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 15, 2024·7 min read

Brain Area Linked to Attention Control Identified

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic nucleus, a treatment for Parkinson's disease, may influence more than just motor control. This treatment, which mitigates Parkinson's symptoms such as tremors, also appears to affect patients' ability to shift their attention between tasks.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 12, 2024·6 min read

How Brain Networks Sustain Attention

A new study investigates the brain's mechanisms behind deep focus. The research employs fMRI to explore low-frequency fluctuations in brain networks during focused and less-focused states.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·March 26, 2024·5 min read

Unlocking the Brain’s Attention Network

Researchers have utilized depth electrodes in epilepsy patients to study exogenous attention, the involuntary shift of focus triggered by external stimuli. This unique approach, capturing neural activity across 1,400 brain regions, reveals how attention develops from visual processing to action response, involving a continuum of cortical networks.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 12, 2024·5 min read

Mind Wandering is Inevitable Over Time

A new study reveals that regardless of task difficulty, people's minds increasingly wander with time, reaching a 50% distraction rate towards the end of activities. Analyzing over 10,000 participants in 68 studies, the research found no significant difference in distraction levels across various tasks.

Electrophysiology Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2023·5 min read

Brain’s Dual-Chemical Switch for Attention Revealed

Researchers have unveiled the brain's chemical mechanism behind our attention span. Historically, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine was considered the sole regulator of attention.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 20, 2023·4 min read

Autism’s Language Path: Beyond Traditional Joint Attention

Joint attention, where a person's attention is drawn to an object someone else is looking at, is fundamental to typical language acquisition. However, a comprehensive meta-analysis of 71 studies suggests that individuals with autism might learn language differently.

This shows an abstract image of a man's head.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 24, 2023·5 min read

Is Our Free Will Shaping What We Truly See?

A new study delves into the enigma of human voluntary attention. While both individuals might observe the same scenario, their attention could differ based on personal choices influenced by free will.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 11, 2023·5 min read

Brain’s ‘Traffic Directors’: Neurons That Keep Us Focused on Tasks

Researchers have illuminated how our brain maintains focus amidst distractions. Their study identifies “visual-movement” neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) that use coordinated activity called “beta bursts” to suppress distracting stimuli and ensure attention remains on rewarding tasks.