Neural mechanisms of top-down control during spatial and feature attention.

Full Abstract

Theories of visual selective attention posit that both spatial location and nonspatial stimulus features (e.g., color) are elementary dimensions on which top-down attentional control mechanisms can selectively influence visual processing. Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that regions of superior frontal and parietal cortex are critically involved in the control of visual-spatial attention. This frontoparietal control network has also been found to be activated when attention is oriented to nonspatial stimulus features (e.g., motion). To test the generality of the frontoparietal network in attentional control, we directly compared spatial and nonspatial attention in a cuing paradigm. Event-related fMRI methods permitted the isolation of attentional control activity during orienting to a location or to a nonspatial stimulus feature (color). Portions of the frontoparietal network were commonly activated to the spatial and nonspatial cues. However, direct statistical comparisons of cue-related activity revealed subregions of the frontoparietal network that were significantly more active during spatial than nonspatial orienting when all other stimulus, task, and attentional factors were equated. No regions of the frontal-parietal network were more active for nonspatial cues in comparison to spatial cues. These findings support models suggesting that subregions of the frontal-parietal network are highly specific for controlling spatial selective attention.

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Author information

Author/s: Giesbrecht, B (B); Woldorff, M G (MG); Song, A W (AW); Mangun, G R (GR);

Affiliation: Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Box 90999, Durham, NC 27709, USA. giesbrecht(-atsign-)ucdavis.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: NeuroImage (Neuroimage), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Jul; vol 19 (issue 3) : pp 496-512

Dates: Created 2003/07/25; Completed 2003/09/09; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12880783, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Attention - physiology
Color Perception - physiology
Cues
Echo-Planar Imaging
Electrooculography
Eye Movements - physiology
Female

Form Perception - physiology
Frontal Lobe - anatomy & histology; physiology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Male
Nerve Net - anatomy & histology; physiology
Parietal Lobe - anatomy & histology; physiology
Space Perception - physiology

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