Attention -the ability to focus selectively on task relevant information and resist distraction- plays a critical role in many everyday life situations, such as in school or while driving. With an almost constant stream of information reaching us through smart phones and computers, our world becomes increasingly distracting, requiring enhanced attentional capabilities. This calls for new approaches to improve attention, also benefiting patients populations suffering from attention deficits. Is it possible to safely improve attention without medication? And how does the brain actually guides attention and resist distractions?
Our research project set out to answer these questions by applying a novel brain stimulation technique, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). In the first study, we assessed the effects of stimulation on spatial attention performance, while simultaneously measuring neural activity using electroencephalogram (EEG). Unfortunately, we did not find the expected effects of stimulation on attention or neural activity. Because this finding contradicts previous findings, we currently are unsure whether it is possible to modulate spatial attention with tACS.
In a second study we focused on manipulating vigilant attention instead of spatial attention. This kind of attention is particularly important in settings that require you to focus attention for a long time on an generally uneventful task, such as driving a car or air traffic control. In this study we found a frequency-specific effect on performance. Although further research is needed, this finding offers promising tools to improve vigilant attention.
Taken together, in our research project we were able to modulate vigilant attention, but not spatial attention. In the future, these initial results could lead to methods to improve (vigilant) attention and thereby prevent the harmful effects of deteriorating attention.
