Attention is a set of core cognitive functions that supports purposeful behaviors. Attention is necessary for accomplishing daily activities such as locating groceries at a shop, ingredients in the kitchen, car keys on the desk, or a friend at a party. One mechanism of attention that supports these behaviors involves the maintenance of information about the task goal, or the target objects, within an attentional template over time. The concept of a template is ubiquitous in models of attention, but little is known about its mechanisms. Recent evidence suggests that there is considerable variability in the quality and contents of information held in the template over time and individuals. The purpose of this proposal is to understand why that occurs, and the consequences of variability on behavioral performance. We will build convergent evidence using a combination of methods including: behavioral testing of individuals across the full spectrum of attentiveness, fMRI patterns and network analyses in healthy young adults, and behavioral testing of patients with prefrontal lesions due to stroke.

Public Health Relevance

Problems of attentional control are a core deficit in many mental health disorders, most notably the attention deficit disorders. The proposed work investigates why the quality of attentional control varies between people and situations.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH113855-01A1
Application #
9519490
Study Section
Cognition and Perception Study Section (CP)
Program Officer
Rossi, Andrew
Project Start
2018-04-20
Project End
2023-01-31
Budget Start
2018-04-20
Budget End
2019-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
047120084
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618