Neurons in the visual cortex (area V4) encode the visual scene, and neurons in the FEF portion of prefrontal cortex control the focus of attention. When attention (cone and circle) is directed to the red book, neurons in FEF and V4 (represented by red triangles) start firing rhythmically, and the neural activity becomes synchronized across the two areas. (Credit: Image courtesy of MIT)
ScienceDaily (June 2, 2009) — Just as our world buzzes with distractions — from phone calls to e-mails to tweets — the neurons in our brain are bombarded with messages. Research has shown that when we pay attention, some of these neurons begin firing in unison, like a chorus rising above the noise. Now, a study in the May 29 issue of Science reveals the likely brain center that serves as the conductor of this neural chorus.
MIT neuroscientists found that neurons in the prefrontal cortex — the brain's planning center — fire in unison and send signals to the visual cortex to do the same, generating high-frequency waves that oscillate between these distant brain regions like a vibrating spring. These waves, also known as gamma oscillations, have long been associated with cognitive states like attention, learning, and consciousness.
"We are especially interested in gamma oscillations in the prefrontal cortex because it provides top-down influences over other parts of the brain," explains senior author Robert Desimone, director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Doris and Don Berkey Professor of Neuroscience at MIT. "We know that the prefrontal cortex is affected in people with schizophrenia, ADHD and many other brain disorders, and that gamma oscillations are also altered in these conditions. Our results suggest that altered neural synchrony in the prefrontal cortex could disrupt communication between this region and other areas of the brain, leading to altered perceptions, thoughts, and emotions."
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