Matthias Mittner: Towards understanding the neural basis of spontaneous fluctuations in attention and mind wandering

Abstract

In our daily lives, attention waxes and wanes constantly. For example, while apparently attentively listening to a scientific talk, you might find yourself inadvertently thinking about your own work or even your dinner plans. These episodes of "mind wandering" are caused by attentional fluctuations that our brain seems to be designed to engagein even when we are highly motivated to pursue a specific goal. There is evidence that these attentional fluctuations are driven by the neuromodulatory norepinephrinergic system that undergoes spontaneous fluctuations and controls the gain of cortical neurons, thereby enabling dynamic (re-)configuration of cortical networks to facilitate such attentional shifts.

I will review several studies designed to investigate the networks underlying such attentional shifts applying various non-invasive methods including fMRI, EEG, pupillometry and TMS, combined with machine learning approaches and computational modeling to characterize the dynamics of these processes. I will provide an outlook into current projects investigating the role of subcortical structures in orchestrating these shifts and conclude with presenting future plans to use transcranial magnetic stimulation to map cortical networks during attentional shifts.

When

Friday, June 27, 2025, 1:00 PM

Where:

IMBIT NEXUS Lab, Georges-Köhler-Allee 201, 79110 Freiburg

About

Matthias Mittner

Host

Andreas Vlachos