• Frequency-specific attentional...

*Result*: Frequency-specific attentional mechanisms phasically modulate the influence of distractors on task performance.

Title:
Frequency-specific attentional mechanisms phasically modulate the influence of distractors on task performance.
Authors:
Redding ZV; Department of Neuroscience and Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America., Ding Y; Department of Neuroscience and Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America., Fiebelkorn IC; Department of Neuroscience and Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Source:
PLoS biology [PLoS Biol] 2026 Feb 23; Vol. 24 (2), pp. e3003664. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Feb 23 (Print Publication: 2026).
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101183755 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1545-7885 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 15449173 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS Biol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science, [2003]-
MeSH Terms:
Attention*/physiology , Visual Perception*/physiology , Task Performance and Analysis*, Theta Rhythm/physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Electroencephalography ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Photic Stimulation ; Cues
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20260223 Date Completed: 20260223 Latest Revision: 20260226
Update Code:
20260226
PubMed Central ID:
PMC12928401
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pbio.3003664
PMID:
41730000
Database:
MEDLINE

*Further Information*

*The Rhythmic Theory of Attention proposes that visual spatial attention is characterized by alternating states that promote either sampling at the present focus of attention or a higher likelihood of shifting attentional resources to another location. While theta-rhythmically (4-8 Hz) occurring windows of opportunity for shifting attentional resources might provide cognitive flexibility, these windows might also make us more susceptible to distractors. Here, we used EEG in humans to test how frequency-specific neural activity phasically influences behavioral performance and visual processing when high-contrast distractors co-occur with low-contrast targets. For trials with and without distractors, perceptual sensitivity at the cued target location depended on pre-stimulus theta phase (~7 Hz) recorded at central electrodes. For trials with distractors, there was a greater increase in false alarm rates at the same theta phase associated with lower hit rates (i.e., during the proposed "shifting state"), confirming theta-rhythmically occurring windows of increased susceptibility to distractors. In addition to these phase-behavior effects at central electrodes, we observed phase-behavior effects at frontocentral and occipital electrodes that (i) only occurred on trials with distractors, (ii) peaked in the alpha-frequency range (~9-10 Hz), and (iii) were strongest at occipital electrodes that were contralateral to distractors. Alpha phase at these electrodes was also associated with fluctuations in the amplitude of distractor-evoked visual responses, consistent with an alpha-mediated gating of distractors. The present findings thus provide evidence for distinct theta- and alpha-mediated mechanisms of spatial attention that phasically modulate the influence of distractors on task performance.
(Copyright: © 2026 Redding et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)*

*The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.*