Synchrony: a neuronal mechanism for attentional selection?
Attentional selection involves brain processes that select and control the flow of information into the mechanisms that underlie perception and consciousness. One theory proposes that the neural activity that represents the stimuli or events to be attended to is selected through modification of its synchrony. Recent experimental evidence supports this theory, by showing that changes in attentional focus increase the synchrony of neural firing in some neuron pairs and decrease it in others.
Niebur
Ernst
E
Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA. Niebur@jhu.edu
Hsiao
Steven S
SS
Johnson
Kenneth O
KO
D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003344:Cortical Synchronization / Q000523:psychology; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology