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Predicting lapses of attention with sleep-like slow waves

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Andrillon

    (Monash University
    CNRS)

  • Angus Burns

    (Monash University)

  • Teigane Mackay

    (Monash University)

  • Jennifer Windt

    (Monash University)

  • Naotsugu Tsuchiya

    (Monash University
    National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)
    Advanced Telecommunications Research Computational Neuroscience Laboratories)

Abstract

Attentional lapses occur commonly and are associated with mind wandering, where focus is turned to thoughts unrelated to ongoing tasks and environmental demands, or mind blanking, where the stream of consciousness itself comes to a halt. To understand the neural mechanisms underlying attentional lapses, we studied the behaviour, subjective experience and neural activity of healthy participants performing a task. Random interruptions prompted participants to indicate their mental states as task-focused, mind-wandering or mind-blanking. Using high-density electroencephalography, we report here that spatially and temporally localized slow waves, a pattern of neural activity characteristic of the transition toward sleep, accompany behavioural markers of lapses and preceded reports of mind wandering and mind blanking. The location of slow waves could distinguish between sluggish and impulsive behaviours, and between mind wandering and mind blanking. Our results suggest attentional lapses share a common physiological origin: the emergence of local sleep-like activity within the awake brain.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Andrillon & Angus Burns & Teigane Mackay & Jennifer Windt & Naotsugu Tsuchiya, 2021. "Predicting lapses of attention with sleep-like slow waves," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-23890-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23890-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Laurent Sheybani & Umesh Vivekananda & Roman Rodionov & Beate Diehl & Fahmida A. Chowdhury & Andrew W. McEvoy & Anna Miserocchi & James A. Bisby & Daniel Bush & Neil Burgess & Matthew C. Walker, 2023. "Wake slow waves in focal human epilepsy impact network activity and cognition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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