Imagine a noisy restaurant; Constant chatter and door knocking makes it difficult to concentrate on conversation. The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, examines the brain’s surprising ability to manage attention in such an environment. A research team led by neuroscientist Harrison Ritz found that the brain uses two basic functions to manage distractions: focusing (reinforcing relevant information) and filtering (eliminating distractions). The study’s findings show how the brain coordinates these functions to perform “mental actions,” similar to how muscles work together to perform complex physical tasks.
In the study, participants completed cognitive tasks while undergoing fMRI scans. They watched dots spinning on the screen and had to identify color and movement within the chaos. By analyzing brain activity, researchers discovered how two important regions interact: the intraparietal sulcus (IF) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
For example, if fast dot motion interferes with color identification (a difficult task), PPC instructs the IPS to reduce motion sensitivity (filtering) and increase color sensitivity (focusing).
This study debunks the common misconception that lack of concentration equals lack of intelligence. The research highlights the complexity of the brain, not only mental abilities but also the complex coordination of different functions.
Source: Ferra
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