Mathison - SDSU1 Attention and consciousness are at different levels of the same brain activity. How do you perceive & comprehend the world? How do you attend to it and become conscious of it? How do you know? Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain

Mathison - SDSU2 Attention and consciousness are how we create understanding of our world and build a sense of who we are in relation to the world. Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain

Mathison - SDSU3 The brain, at some level, is always in a state of readiness. It has powerful predictive capabilities, building mental maps and navigational aids. The brain is constantly revising based on external input and internal interpretation. Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain

Mathison - SDSU4 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse OrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientation novelty detection & reward executive organization

Mathison - SDSU5 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse OrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientation novelty detection & reward executive organization Faculty Meeting Mona yawns

Mathison - SDSU6 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse OrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientation novelty detection & reward executive organization Faculty Meeting Mona yawns you turn eyes toward Mona

Mathison - SDSU7 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse OrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientation novelty detection & reward executive organization Faculty Meeting Mona yawns you turn eyes toward Mona is the new behavior?

Mathison - SDSU8 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain ArouseOrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientation novelty detection & reward executive organization Faculty Meeting Mona yawns you turn eyes toward Mona is the new behavior? Does this require/merit continued attention? Prioritizing

Mathison - SDSU9 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain ArouseOrientDetectExecute reaction to stimuli motor orientationnovelty detection & reward executive organization During this process, there are many things that can go wrong if the brain isn’t working properly.

Mathison - SDSU10 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -ability to suddenly increase alertness Reticular Activating System brain stem frontal lobe limbic system sense organs Hippocampus filters incoming stimuli to determine danger

Mathison - SDSU11 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -focus body’s sense organs on novel object in question (motor orientation in involuntary) disengage ---- move-----engage thalamus (direct attention to new stimulus & inhibit less important ‘noise’) basal ganglia & frontal parietal lobe (help us shift focus) posterior parietal cortex (disengage)

Mathison - SDSU12 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -focus body’s sense organs on novel object in question (motor orientation in involuntary) disengage ---- move-----engage Balint’s Syndrome - inability to focus on multiple objects at one time due to damage of the posterior parietal cortex. “Can’t see forest for trees.”

Mathison - SDSU13 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward limbic system Nucleus Accubens -small cluster of cells in the forebrain connected to amygdala. These cells have highest concentration of dopamine in brain.

Mathison - SDSU14 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward Nucleus Accumbens is a central player in the reward system. It is the principle pleasure center of the brain. Amphetamines & cocaine achieve their pleasurable effect by changing the concentration of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. ADHD drugs such as Ritalin, Dexedrine & Cylert enhance the concentration and action of dopamine which, in this case, allows for better sustained attention.

Mathison - SDSU15 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward Chocolate, coffee, nicotine, marijuana, heroin, morphine, Percodan & Dilaudid all increase the availability of dopamine in our system - generated in large part by the little group of cells called the nucleus accumbens in our forebrain.

Mathison - SDSU16 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward Monkeys with lesions in the nucleus accumbens are unable to sustain attention, which hinders then in performing tasks that are not immediately rewarded. This affects their motivation (i.e. peeled nut/hoarding study).

Mathison - SDSU17 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward Persons with ADHD are often impulsive and quick to act because they are hooked on immediate feedback. In a sense, they are addicted to the present, unable to delay gratification.

Mathison - SDSU18 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -the detection of novelty & reward A faulty novelty & reward system causes an addict or the obsessive-compulsive person to feel that every new drink or situation is novel and exciting no matter how many time the stimulus has been encountered. (In OCD this is compounded by brain treating novel event as dangerous.)

Mathison - SDSU19 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -commands our actions & integrates our attention with short and long term goals Anterior cingulate gyrus (executive secretary) 1) gross prioritizer 2) directs attention 3) initiates action

Mathison - SDSU20 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -commands our actions & integrates our attention with short and long term goals Prefrontal Cortex (the CEO) 1) creates working memory (organizes & structures, remembers self in future, consequence evaluator, stops procrastination) 2) time estimator (processes details) 3) monitors behavior (self-talk, oberserver)

Mathison - SDSU21 Attention & Consciousness John Ratey’s A User’s Guide to the Brain Arouse Orient Detect Execute -commands our actions & integrates our attention with short and long term goals Orbitofrontal Cortex (the great inhibitor) 1) sustains attention-stops distractions 2) stops over-focus & being ‘stuck’ 3) error catcher 4) organizes how to behave

Mathison - SDSU22 Attention & Consciousness Life experiences and our brain’s chemical composition and functioning create the differences we see in one another. For example, your general ability to concentrate may be better than mine. On the other hand, I may be a better observer of people. While different, most of us fall somewhere within the ‘normal’ spectrum of human behavior. Understanding the brain helps us see our own behaviors and the behaviors of those around us with greater respect and empathy.