Orienting Attention Based on Long-Term Memory Experience

Attentional orienting and memory are intrinsically bound, but their interaction has rarely been investigated. Here we introduce an experimental paradigm using naturalistic scenes to investigate how long-term memory can guide spatial attention and thereby enhance identification of events in the perce...

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Published inNeuron (Cambridge, Mass.) Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 905 - 916
Main Authors Summerfield, Jennifer J., Lepsien, Jöran, Gitelman, Darren R., Mesulam, M. Marsel, Nobre, Anna C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 16.03.2006
Elsevier Limited
Subjects
Adult
Attention - physiology
Behavior
Brain
Brain - anatomy & histology
Brain - blood supply
Brain - physiology
Brain Mapping
Experiments
Female
Field Dependence-Independence
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods
Male
Memory
Memory - physiology
Neuropsychological Tests
Orientation - physiology
Oxygen - blood
Photic Stimulation - methods
Reaction Time - physiology
Space Perception - physiology
Studies
SYSNEURO
Time Factors
Validity
Variance analysis
Visual Pathways - blood supply
Visual Pathways - physiology
SYSNEURO
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Summary:Attentional orienting and memory are intrinsically bound, but their interaction has rarely been investigated. Here we introduce an experimental paradigm using naturalistic scenes to investigate how long-term memory can guide spatial attention and thereby enhance identification of events in the perceptual domain. In the task, stable memories of objects embedded within complex scenes guide spatial orienting. We compared the behavioral effects and neural systems of memory-guided orienting with those in a more traditional attention-orienting task in which transient spatial cues guide attention. Memory-guided attention operated within surprisingly short intervals and conferred reliable and sizeable advantages for detection of objects embedded in scenes. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that memory-guided attention involves the interaction between brain areas participating in retrieval of memories for spatial context with the parietal-frontal network for visual spatial orienting. Activity in the hippocampus was specifically engaged in memory-guided spatial attention and correlated with the ensuing behavioral advantage.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0896-6273
1097-4199
DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2006.01.021