Neuron Network Tasked with Concentration Identified

A network of neurons has been identified by a McGill University research team which may be a central mechanism in processing information while filtering out distractions, effectively forming what is colloquially known as attention span. The paper, published in the journal Neuron, details how researchers studied brain activity in primates during detail exercises, which required focusing on details while ignoring unneeded stimuli, before decoding the data into an equation to determine probable results of future stimuli. A computer program was then created using the coded brain signals, allowing researchers to study the process of concentration while manipulating variables within the process. The author stated, “This suggests that we are tapping into the mechanisms responsible for the quality of the attentional focus, and might shed light into the reasons why this process fails in certain neurological diseases such as ADHD, autism and schizophrenia,” Future research on extracting and reading neuronal code from deeper areas of the brain could benefit neural prosthetics, technology which allows paralyzed individuals to use thought patterns to control objects. To learn more about this study, click here.