Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Wonder How You Spot A Friend In A Crowded Cafeteria?

by Aruna on August 17, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Wonder How You Spot A Friend In A Crowded Cafeteria?

Ever wondered how do you search for your friend in a crowded cafeteria? A new study sheds light on this aspect of our brain.

Well now, a new study on monkeys has shed light on how the visual system picks out an object of interest in a complex scene.

Advertisement

In the study, monkeys were given the task of searching for one particular tilted, colored bar among a field of bars on a computer screen.

By monitoring the activity of neurons in three of the animals' brain regions, researchers found that the monkeys spontaneously shifted their attention in a sequence, like a moving spotlight that jumped from location to location.
Advertisement

The study also showed that brain waves act as a kind of built-in clock that provides a framework for shifting attention from one location to the next.

The work could have implications for understanding or treating attention deficit disorder or even potentially speeding up the rate of cognition in the brain.

"For many years, neuroscientists have been debating competing theories on whether humans and animals spontaneously search elements of a visual scene in a serial or parallel manner. Ours is the first study based on direct evidence of neurophysiological activity," said lead author Earl K. Miller, the Picower Professor of Neuroscience.

The researchers also found that the spotlight of the mind's eye shifted focus at 25 times a second and that this process of switching was regulated by brain waves.

"This is one of the first examples of how brain waves play a specific role in cognitive computations," said Picower Institute postdoctoral associate and co-author Timothy J. Buschman.

Miller said: "Attention regulates the flood of sensory information pouring into the brain into a manageable stream. In particular, a lot of different areas of the brain are involved in vision. If they all competed at once, it would be chaos.

"Brain waves may provide the clock that tells the brain when to shift its attention from one stimulus to another. Oscillating brain waves may provide a way for several regions across the brain to be on the same page at the same time - very similar to the way computers use an internal clock to synchronize the many different components inside," Miller added.

The researchers' next step is to expand their search for brain wave function beyond the visual. They hope to discover whether brain waves are specific to visual function or act as a "general clock" for the brain.

Source: ANI
ARU
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest Mental Health News

New Suicide Crisis Helpline in Canada
The Canadian government has launched 988, a new three-digit suicide crisis helpline to provide suicide prevention support.
Pickling Positivity: Lactobacillus Guards Against Anxiety, Depression
Lactobacillus unveils new avenues for therapies targeting anxiety, depression, and various mental health conditions.
Can Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Therapy Alter Brain Activity?
Neuroimaging exposes alterations in connectivity among individuals dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), stated study.
How Stress Induce Emotional Overeating?
Proenkephalin, a chemical molecule present in the brain's hypothalamus, is linked to emotionally driven overeating in response to stress and threats.
From Inflation to Global Affairs- Americans are Stressed on Holidays
Americans experience stress over the holidays, due to inflation, world affairs, rising flu and COVID-19 instances, and previous holiday melt-down.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Wonder How You Spot A Friend In A Crowded Cafeteria? Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests