Understanding Visual Attention: A Multifaceted Approach

by Pankhuri Saxena
Doctoral thesis
Date of Examination:2024-09-19
Date of issue:2025-08-21
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Stefan Treue
Referee:Prof. Dr. Stefan Treue
Referee:Prof. Dr. Hansjörg Scherberger
Referee:Prof. Dr. Jochen Staiger
Referee:Prof. Dr. Annekathrin Schacht
Referee:Prof. Dr. Nivedita Mani
Referee:Prof. Dr. Ralf Heinrich
Persistent Address: http://dx.doi.org/10.53846/goediss-11450

 

 

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Abstract

English

We all have an intuitive sense of what attention is, yet defining it precisely remains challenging. While research in psychology and neuroscience has explored its origins, mechanisms, and influence on behaviour for over a century, the diversity of theories and methods has led to a fragmented picture. Some have even argued that attention is not a standalone construct, but rather a by-product of other cognitive processes. In this thesis, I take a multifaceted approach to studying visual attention, combining psychophysics, electrophysiology, optogenetics, and neuropharmacology. These methods allow investigating attentional effects at multiple levels — from behaviour, to neuronal activity, to the release of neurotransmitters in sensory brain areas. I explore both voluntary (endogenous) and involuntary (exogenous) forms of attention, across spatial, feature-based, and object-based domains, and consider how these operate in covert and overt modes. By integrating these perspectives, I argue for attention as a necessary selective mechanism, essential for prioritizing information in a complex sensory environment. The findings presented here contribute to bridging gaps between behavioural, neural, and neurochemical accounts of attention, offering a more connected understanding of how it shapes perception and guides action.
Keywords: Visual attention; area MT, electrophysiology, neurotransmitters; optogenetics; microdialysis; sensory processing; Macaque; Psychophysics; electrophysiology; neurotransmitters
 
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