Attention: The gate to consciousness

Author(s): Brailowsky, S.

Journal/Book: Salud Ment. 1999; 22: Calz Mexico-Xochimilco #101, Mexico City 22 DF, Mexico. Inst Mex Psiquiatria. 48-59.

Abstract: Attention is a term designing a highly complex cognitive process whose deficit substantially alters the individual's ability to adapt himself to his environment at the emotional, social and intelectual level. The study of the brain proccesses for selecting environmental stimuli will help to understand and define some clinical manifestations in several neuropsychiatric illnesses. Attention itself is a proceses difficult to be defined in conceptual or operational terms. However several theories have attempted to do it. Most of them agree that the individual's capacity to analyze the environmental stimuli is limited. As a result of this limitation, low relevant stimuli have to be filtered out. However, the anatomo functional brain structure (s) is difficult to locate, therefore, it is still in debate if the filter is central or peripheral. In this brief review we attempt to present the state of the relevant literature on this subject and critically analyze the electrophysiological findings in the center of the psychological models.

Note: Article Galicia O, UNAM, Fac Med, Dept Fisiol, Lab Neuroinfecciones, AP 70-250, Mexico City, DF, MEXICO

Keyword(s): attention; startle reflex; neurotransmission; event related potentials; P300; EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS; PROLONGED P300 LATENCY; DEPRESSION; AMPLITUDE; DEMENTIA; BEHAVIOR; DISORDER; NETWORK; STIMULI; WAVES

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