Spatial re-orienting of visual attention along the horizontal or the vertical axis

Exp Brain Res. 2007 Jun;180(1):23-34. doi: 10.1007/s00221-006-0841-8. Epub 2007 Jan 30.

Abstract

Neuroimaging data indicate functional segregation between voluntary and stimulus-driven control of spatial attention in dorsal and ventral fronto-parietal regions, respectively. While recent evidences demonstrated location-specific attentional effects in dorsal regions, little is known about any location or direction selectivity within the ventral network. Here, we used a spatial cueing paradigm to investigate stimulus-driven spatial re-orienting along different axes (horizontal or vertical). We found that re-orienting of attention activated the ventral attentional network, irrespective of axis-orientation. Statistical comparisons between homologous regions in the two hemispheres revealed significant main effects of attention re-orienting (common activation for the two hemispheres), irrespective of leftward or rightward re-orienting along the horizontal axis, or re-orienting along the vertical axis. We conclude that in healthy volunteers, a bilateral ventral network controls spatial covert re-orienting, and that this system is multidirectional.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cues
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Orientation / physiology*
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Reaction Time
  • Space Perception / physiology*
  • Visual Cortex / blood supply
  • Visual Cortex / physiology*
  • Visual Pathways / blood supply
  • Visual Pathways / physiology*