Selective attention involves a feature-specific sequential release from inhibitory gating

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118782
• Publication Date: 2021-12-05T22:26:21Z
• Authors: Mattia F. Pagnotta; David Pascucci; Gijs Plomp
• Keywords: Sensory gating; Stimulus (psychology)

Selective attention is a fundamental cognitive mechanism that allows our brain to preferentially process relevant sensory information, while filtering out distracting information. Attention thought flexibly gate the communication of irrelevant information through top-down alpha-rhythmic (8-12 Hz) functional connections, which influence early visual processing. However, dynamic effects on downstream processing remain unknown. Here, we used electroencephalography investigate local and network selective subjects attended distinct features identical stimuli. We found attention-related changes in organization emerge shortly after stimulus onset, accompanied by an overall decrease connectivity. Signatures attentional selection were evident from sequential release alpha-band parietal gating feature-selective areas. The directed connectivity paths temporal evolution this consistent with effect each feature, providing neural basis for how quickly prioritizes functionally specialized