Increased functional magnetic resonance imaging activity during nonconscious perception in the attentional blink.
Presenting two targets for identification within a few hundred milliseconds reliably yields reduced performance on the second relative to the first. This attentional blink phenomenon has been extensively studied behaviourally but, until recently, has eluded direct investigation by functional magnetic resonance imaging. The few published imaging studies agree that the attentional blink recruits a fronto-temporo-parietal 'attentional' network. What remains controversial is the specific role played by the 'object processing' ventro-occipital regions of the brain. Two studies used different tasks and stimulus onset asynchronies leaving the cause for this divergence unknown. The present study resolves this discrepancy by examining the different methodologies. Our results suggest that task difficulty and masking must be factored in to any conclusions drawn about the brain activity during the attentional blink paradigm.
Shapiro
Kimron L
KL
School of Psychology, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK. k.shapiro@bangor.ac.uk
Johnston
Stephen J
SJ
Vogels
Werner
W
Zaman
Arshad
A
Roberts
Neil
N
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology
D010100:Oxygen