title: Distinct roles of theta and alpha oscillations in the involuntary capture of goal-directed attention.
abstract: Mechanisms of attention assign priority to sensory inputs on the basis of current task goals. Previous studies have shown that lateralized neural oscillations within the alpha (8-14Hz) range are associated with the voluntary allocation of attention to the contralateral visual field. It is currently unknown, however, whether similar oscillatory signatures instantiate the involuntary capture of spatial attention by goal-relevant stimulus properties. Here we investigated the roles of theta (4-8Hz), alpha, and beta (14-30Hz) oscillations in human goal-directed visual attention. Across two experiments, we had participants respond to a brief target of a particular color among heterogeneously colored distractors. Prior to target onset, we cued one location with a lateralized, non-predictive cue that was either target- or non-target-colored. During the behavioral task, we recorded brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG), with the aim of analyzing cue-elicited oscillatory activity. We found that theta oscillations lateralized in response to all cues, and this lateralization was stronger if the cue matched the target color. Alpha oscillations lateralized relatively later, and only in response to target-colored cues, consistent with the capture of spatial attention. Our findings suggest that stimulus induced changes in theta and alpha amplitude reflect task-based modulation of signals by feature-based and spatial attention, respectively.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. Electronic address: anthmharris@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Psychology, St Lucia 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Dux
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Caelyn N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; The University of Queensland, School of Psychology, St Lucia 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mattingley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alpha; Attentional capture; Goal-directed attention; Neural oscillations; Theta