An EEG Study of the Influence of Target Appearing in the Upper and Lower Visual Fields on Brain Attention Resource Allocation

Abstract

Visuospatial selective attention can focus attention on a certain spatial area and rationally allocate attentional resources during visual target perception. Previous studies investigated the behavioral advantages of subjects when the target appeared in the upper and lower visual fields. However, the neurophysiological characteristics of the brain are not clear, and there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of the external behavior and the internal neurophysiological characteristics. We designed two task paradigms containing a spatial location orientation task and a visual search task. We used event-related potentials (ERP) components (P1 and P2) and electroencephalogram (EEG) rhythms (theta and alpha) to analyze the attention level and allocation of attention resources of the brain. The results showed that when the target appeared in the lower visual field in the spatial location orientation task, subjects consumed fewer attention resources and demonstrated better behavioral performance. In the visual search task, when the target appeared in the upper left visual field, subjects could better mobilize attention resources and behaved more advantageously. The study provides a basis for the design of the target in the upper and lower visual fields in the rehabilitation task, especially for stroke patients with low attention levels due to attention disorders such as spatial attention deficit.

Chronic academic stress improves attentional control: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence

“…The P2 amplitude was more positive for the stress than the control group in both congruent and incongruent trials. The P2 component has been associated with the selective attention process triggered by the task-relevant stimulus, and the enhanced P2 indicated that more amount of attentional resources were allocated to the target stimuli ( Li et al, 2023 ; Luck & Hillyard, 1994 ; Zhou et al, 2019 ). The present results reflected that more amount of attentional resources might be allocated on processing of the visual stimuli under stress.…”

Assessing attentional task-related electroencephalogram signal variations by using mobile electroencephalogram technology: An experimental study

“…However, the neurophysiological characteristics of the brain are not clear. [29] Therefore, further research is required to address this issue. This study had several limitations.…”

“…In terms of task performance and brain areas, previous studies investigated the behavioral benefits of participants regarding visuospatial selective attention. [ 29 ] Neurophysiological studies suggest a correlation between task performances and EEG signals. Parieto-occipital alpha (7–15 Hz; thought to modulate attentional focus) and frontal beta (13–30 Hz; associated with maintenance of the current sensorimotor state and predictive coding) oscillations covary with trial-wise percent-correct scores; importantly, alpha and beta power provide significant independent contributions to predicting single-trial behavioral outcomes.…”