Intra-modality selective attention and evoked cortical potentials to randomly presented patterns.

Abstract The effects of selective attention on visually evoked cortical responses (VERs) were investigated under conditions where transient changes in arousal level and peripheral orienting factors were reduced to a minimum. Four subjects were presented a random series of relevant and irrelevant light flashes and were instructed either to count or to make a reaction time response to the relevant stimulus. Stimuli were presented at a constant rate of 0.92 or 1.92 c/sec. Subjects fixated a central reference point on the stimulus screen throughout each trial. Averaged VERs from the occipital region showed a consistent increased negativity at latencies of 220–250 msec and positivity at latencies of 290–340 msec when the stimulus was attended as compared to not attended. The effects of attention on VERs did not differ significantly as a function of the response conditions or rate of stimulus presentation. The effects of selective attention on early and late evoked cortical activity were discussed in terms of the processing of sensory information in the peripheral and central nervous system, respectively.

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