Attentional modulation of sensory gating during a visuomotor task

Attention is crucial for motor performance because it enhances task-relevant processing while suppressing distractions. However, physiological markers of attentional engagement during motor activity remain incompletely understood. The present study investigated how attention modulates sensory gating (SG) along with heart rate variability (HRV) and eye blink rate (EBR) during a visual cue-based typing task. Twenty-five participants performed under three conditions: (1) no typing, (2) free typing, (3) precision typing. The results revealed that higher attention led to a consistent increase in SG across distinct modalities. Particularly, this modulation was observed in higher-order components: N1, P2 in auditory evoked potential; P1 in visual evoked potential; P2, P3 in somatosensory evoked potential. Furthermore, task-related HRV modulation was associated with varying attentional and motor demands, while EBR decreased with increased visual attentional engagement. These findings further clarify SG and autonomic changes during attentional modulation in motor tasks, highlighting their potential for assessing attentional engagement.