title: Regulation of attention to novel stimuli by frontal lobes: an event-related potential study.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between orienting responses to novel events and subsequent exploratory behavior. The N2-P3 electrophysiologic component of the orienting response was found to be larger for novel than repetitive background stimuli. Across subjects, the amplitude of this N2-P3 response in frontal regions strongly predicted the proportional increase in the duration of viewing directed toward novel compared to background stimuli. Within subjects, larger N2-P3 amplitudes in response to novel stimuli were associated with longer viewing durations on those stimuli. These results suggest that the N2-P3 component of the orienting response reflects the activity of a neural system involving frontal networks that dynamically regulates the subsequent allocation of attentional resources to novel stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Daffner
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mesulam
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Scinto
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Holcomb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013997:Time Factors