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Time is of the essence
Anna Christina Nobre1, Jill O'Reilly
1Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. kia.nobre@psy.ox.ac.uk
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|September 8, 2004
Summary
Human behavior relies on timing, but its brain mechanisms are unclear. A new study reveals motor-related brain areas adjust activity based on attention to time, challenging the idea of a dedicated timing system.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Accurate time perception is crucial for human behavior.
- The neural basis of time perception remains largely unknown.
- Previous research has not definitively identified a dedicated brain system for timing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying time perception.
- To explore the relationship between attention to time and brain activity.
- To reassess the concept of a specialized timing system in the brain.
Main Methods:
- Utilized brain-imaging techniques to monitor neural activity.
- Examined the brain's response during tasks requiring temporal judgments.
- Analyzed how activity in specific brain regions correlates with attentional focus on time.
Main Results:
- Activity within a network of motor-related brain areas showed a parametric variation with attention to time.
- This suggests that motor systems play a role in temporal judgments.
- No evidence for a distinct, specialized timing system was found.
Conclusions:
- The brain recruits motor-related networks for tasks involving time perception.
- Attention to time modulates activity in these motor areas.
- The findings challenge the traditional view of a dedicated neural system for timing, suggesting a more distributed or repurposed network.