Rhythmic building blocks of human attention

How network oscillations link perception and action?

Attention is a fundamental cognitive function necessary to efficiently translate sensory experiences into goal-directed actions. Traditionally, attention has been conceptualized as a constant spotlight that amplifies behaviorally-relevant information. Recently, several lines of inquiry probing attention on a fine-grained temporal scale revealed frequency-specific behavioral fluctuations that align with ongoing brain oscillations, indicating that attention is a discrete process. Our aim is to understand the structural and functional basis as well as the physiologic purpose of attentional rhythmic fluctuations.

See also:

• Helfrich et al. (2018), Neuron
• Helfrich et al. (2019), Current Opinion in Psychology