[Attention processes and neuropsychological syndromes]

Both cognitive psychology and neuropsychology require an approach to the multidimensional 'attention'.

Attention permits behaviour to be suitable to the task in hand. According to the situation or activity required, the components or mechanisms of attention necessary vary (selectivity, alertness, vigilance, focus, inhibitory control mechanisms, etc.)as do the different neural networks involved. In the different neuropsychological syndromes different components and attention mechanisms are affected. For instance, in attention deficit disorder there is inability to take notice of control of carrying out inappropriate responses, whilst in visual heminegligence there may be a defect of a mechanism such as disconnection of attention selective to a given space. To obtain coherent results in the study of attention disorders in various syndromes, the different components and attention mechanisms should be systematically evaluated using specific tests. In neuropsychology frequently the tests used only measured the aspects most closely connected to speed of perception and visual selective attention, without evaluating other components. Sometimes study data measuring different aspects of attention have been compared, and therefore the conclusions drawn regarding possible attention disorders were controversial. The lack of standardised data and the difficulty of establishing 'pure' tests of attention mechanisms make the task more arduous.

Only the integration of experimental studies of cognitive psychology and the techniques and procedures of neuropsychology permit clarification of the construction and the advance of explanatory models.