Neural correlates of dual task interference in rapid visual streams: an fMRI study

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging
• Visual Perception

Background:

• The attentional blink (AB) is a phenomenon where identifying a second target is impaired if presented soon after a first target within rapid visual streams.
• Previous research suggests that rapid perceptual decisions under masking interference involve interactions between frontal and posterior cortical regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural correlates of the attentional blink using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• To identify brain regions associated with perceptual decisions during masking interference in the context of the AB.

Main Methods:

• fMRI was employed to study brain activity in twelve subjects.
• Subjects viewed rapid streams of letters containing two white target letters (T1 and T2) separated by either 300 ms (short-delay) or 700 ms (long-delay).

Main Results:

• Behaviorally, fewer correct identifications of T2 were observed in the short-delay condition compared to the long-delay condition, confirming the AB effect.
• fMRI data showed increased activation in the inferotemporal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, lateral frontal cortex, and cerebellum during the short-delay condition, indicative of the AB.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that the attentional blink involves a network of brain regions including frontal and posterior cortical areas, as well as the cerebellum.
• These identified brain regions are associated with making rapid perceptual decisions under conditions of masking interference, as observed during the attentional blink.