Ancient Brain Cells May Help You Tune Out Distractions

Zeroing In: Scientists have long thought attention was controlled by the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that’s highly developed in humans and primates but far less so in other animals. But if that’s the case, then how are birds, fish, frogs, and other creatures able to focus when searching for food or avoiding predators? Researchers from Johns Hopkins University think they know, after discovering a circuit of inhibitory neurons in the brainstem that’s shared by all vertebrates and acts as a “focus filter.”

The Study: The researchers gave mice an attention task and rewarded them when they focused on a visual cue and ignored distractions. The mice performed the task successfully until the researchers switched off those inhibitory neurons, which resulted in them becoming easily distracted. 

The Takeaway: When these neurons were switched off, the mice lost their ability to sift through information to decide which one needed their attention in the moment. Researchers posit this finding could potentially open the door for new targeted treatments for ADHD and autism in the future. 

Keep in Mind: The study was done on mice, not humans. More research is needed to determine if human brains would respond the same way.