Attention as a domain-general process: the role of brain

It is well established that domain specific brain functions (such as perception, language, speech, declarative memory etc.) do not only depend on the corresponding, specialized systems, but are also modulated dynamically by regulatory brain networks, such as the "attention" system. It has become apparent that brain oscillations may subserve some of these regulatory (domain-general) processes. Importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests that brain oscillations do not only correlate but are likely causally involved in shaping brain function and that these oscillations change as a function of age and several neurological conditions. The aim of this PhD is to further test hypotheses on how attention-related brain oscillations regulate performance in the framework of existing theoretical models (such as the Bundesen's Theory of Visual Attention). I am to record electroencephalography (EEG) and map neural signals to specific psychometric measures derived from these models, further developing and using novel single-trial brain-behaviour correlation analysis based on a Jack-Knife re-sampling technique. Insights from this project will help to more firmly link specific brain oscillations (such as alpha activity) to domain general processes that likely impact on several specialised functions. This could inform related studies on brain oscillations as targets for interventions (i.e. with a clinical scope), and add to new quantitative approaches for linking oscillatory EEG signatures to performance.