Interactions between spatial attention and global/local feature selection:an ERP study

The present study examined the interaction between spatial attention and gl obal/local feature processing of visual hierarchical stimuli. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded from subjects who detected global or local targets at attended locations while ignoring those at unattended loc ations. Spatial attention produced enhanced occipital P1 and N1 waves in bo th global and local conditions. Selection of local features enhanced poster ior P1, N1 and N2 waves relative to selection of global features. However, the modulations of the P1 and N2 by global/local feature selection were str onger when spatial attention was directed to the left than the right visual fields. The results suggest neurophysiological bases for interactions betw een spatial attention and hierarchical analysis at multiple stages of visua l processing. NeuroReport 11:2753-2758 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilki ns.