All Articles Tagged As: attention

Scientists uncover basis of attention span (7/16/2008)

Scientists have uncovered the chemical basis of attention span ...> Full Article

Study uncovers how Ritalin works in brain to boost cognition, focus attention (6/27/2008)

Ritalin fine-tunes the functioning of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) - a brain region involved in attention, decision-making and impulse control ...> Full Article

Is ADHD an Advantage For Nomadic Tribesmen In Kenya? (6/13/2008)

A propensity for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might be beneficial to a group of Kenyan nomads ...> Full Article

Sad Children Out-Perform Happy Children in Attention-to-Detail Tasks (6/12/2008)

Psychologists have conducted experimental research that contrasts with the belief that happy children are the best learners ...> Full Article

Powerful emotions affect how voters seek political information (5/30/2008)

Angry and anxious voters tend to tune into the presidential race but their strong emotions might actually distract them from paying attention to the facts. ...> Full Article

Psychologists Demonstrate Simplicity of Working Memory (4/24/2008)

Study could help with ADD and other attention difficulties ...> Full Article

Disturbances in Brain Circuitry Linked to Chronic Exposure to Solvents (4/19/2008)

Chronic occupational exposure to organic solvents, found in materials such as paints, printing and dry cleaning agents, is widespread all over the world, and is thought to damage the central nervous system ...> Full Article

Researchers unlock snake and spider mystery (3/11/2008)

researchers have unlocked new evidence that could help them get to the bottom of our most common phobias and their causes. ...> Full Article

Head injuries result in widespread brain tissue loss one year later (3/9/2008)

May provide important clue to why patients are left with behavioral handicaps ...> Full Article

Your brain on Krispy Kremes (3/9/2008)

What makes you suddenly dart into the bakery when you spy chocolate- frosted donuts in the window, though you certainly hadn't planned on indulging? As you lick the frosting off your fingers, don't blame a lack of self-control. ...> Full Article

New Study Examines our Gazes During Potentially Offensive Behavior (3/7/2008)

It's happened to all of us: While sitting at the conference table or at dinner party, a friend or colleague unleashes a questionable remark that could offend at least one person amongst the group. A hush falls and, if you're like most people, your eyes will dart towards the person most likely to take offense to the faux pas. It's a doubly unpleasant experience for the offended: Not only have you been insulted, but you have also suddenly become the center of unwelcome attention. ...> Full Article

When People Feel Powerful, They Ignore New Opinions, Study Finds (2/18/2008)

Don't bother trying to persuade your boss of a new idea while he's feeling the power of his position - new research suggests he's not listening to you. ...> Full Article

Problem solved - just keep an 'open mind' (1/31/2008)

Ever wondered what goes on in your brain when you are trying to solve a problem? Researchers have found that keeping an 'open mind' is the key to being able to solve problems. ...> Full Article

Creative and noncreative problem solvers exhibit different patterns of brain activity, study reveals (1/30/2008)

Why do some people solve problems more creatively than others? Are people who think creatively somehow different from those who tend to think in a more methodical fashion? ...> Full Article

Aching Back? Put Your Mind To It (1/29/2008)

Study in Journal PAIN Describes Relief by Mindfulness Meditation ...> Full Article

Face Facts: People Don't Stand Out In A Crowd (1/21/2008)

Why is it difficult to pick out even a familiar face in a crowd? We all experience this, but the phenomenon has been poorly understood until now. The results of a recent study may have implications for individuals with face-recognition disorders and visual-attention related ailments -- and eventually could help scientists develop an artificial visual system that approaches the sophistication of human visual perception. ...> Full Article

Culture Influences Brain Function (1/12/2008)

People from different cultures use their brains differently to solve the same visual perceptual tasks, MIT researchers and colleagues report in the first brain imaging study of its kind. ...> Full Article

Two forces of arousal converge on the 'satiety center' of the brain (1/9/2008)

By pitting two forces - hunger and circadian rhythms - against each other, researchers at Rockefeller University have identified the region of the brain that first registers changes in the availability of availability. The research, in mice, suggests that shifting the timing of a meal increases mental alertness even during times when they are usually at rest, findings that may have implications for targeting health concerns such as obesity and diabetes as well as optimizing performance on tasks that require sustained vigilance in humans. ...> Full Article

Neuroscientists Show Naturally Occurring Chemical in Brain Enhances Visual Processing (11/22/2007)

Neuroscientists have found that a naturally occurring chemical in the brain can enhance visual processing and suggest that this chemical may represent part of the biological basis of visual attention ...> Full Article

Older Adults Not More Distractible, Research Shows (11/10/2007)

Despite previous research suggesting that older adults are more distractible, new research shows they are no more distractible than younger adults when asked to focus their attention on their sense of sight or sound, or when asked to switch their attention from one sense to the other. ...> Full Article

Insulin's Brain Impact Links Drugs And Diabetes (10/18/2007)

Insulin, long known as an important regulator of blood glucose levels, now has a newly appreciated role in the brain. ...> Full Article

Study on Joint Attention Has Implications for Understanding Autism (9/29/2007)

A hallmark of human nature is the ability to share information and to comprehend the thoughts and intentions of others. This capability involves social cognition (the cognitive processes involved in social interaction) and makes a significant contribution to the foundations for language development, as well as social competence. It also sets us apart from other primates. ...> Full Article

Childhood TV Viewing Linked to Teenage Attention Problems (9/5/2007)

Children who watch a lot of television are more likely to have attention problems when they are teenagers, according to a new study by University of Otago researchers. ...> Full Article

Gene Predicts Better Outcome as Cortex Normalizes in Teens with ADHD (8/9/2007)

Brain areas that control attention were thinnest in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who carried a particular version of a gene in a study by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). ...> Full Article

Accident-Prone? Scientists Link Brain Function To Knee Injuries (7/24/2007)

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is among an athlete's most-dreaded injuries, often requiring surgery and months of rehab, as has been the case with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. ...> Full Article

How The Brain And iPhones Differ (7/22/2007)

How many simple objects can you think about at once? Even though people feel they have rich visual experiences, researchers have found that the average person is only aware of about four items at a time. ...> Full Article

Neurologists Studying Neurons That Control Attention (7/11/2007)

Every kid knows that moms have "eyes in the back of their heads." We are adept at fixing our gaze on one object while independently directing attention to others. Salk Institute neurobiologists are beginning to tease apart the complex brain networks that enable humans and other higher mammals to achieve this feat. ...> Full Article

Scientist Develops a Measure of Distraction (6/30/2007)

A scientific indicator of how easily distracted you are has been designed by a UCL (University College London) psychologist. It could be used as another assessment tool during the recruitment process and would have particular benefits in fields where employee distraction could lead to fatal errors. ...> Full Article

Volunteers Needed To Test The Link Between Blood Pressure And Brain Power (6/27/2007)

Volunteers needed to Test the Link Between Blood Pressure and Brain Power ...> Full Article