Neuropsychiatry and the auditory selective attention process

Auditory selective attention is a crucial cognitive function for everyday l ife, and therefore it has been widely studied in an attempt to reveal the n ature, mechanisms, and cortical networks that subserve this process. Howeve r, its impact on our understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders has been l imited. The present review addresses papers (especially those published sin ce November 1999) that reflect recent advances in our understanding of audi tory selective attention in humans, as well as papers that identify abnorma lities in this critical function in neuropsychiatric disorders, including p sychiatric, developmental, and organic brain disorders. Recent literature s uggests that the auditory selective attention process has multiple points o f origin, both spatially and temporally. Moreover, the neural circuitry inv olved, and the timing and magnitude of 'top-down' modulation to facilitate processing of relevant stimuli and suppression of irrelevant stimuli depend s on the task demand. This needs to be taken into account in interpreting f indings in various neuropsychiatric disorders. In future research studies i nto neuropsychiatric disorders, special attention should be focused on the relationship between dysfunction of the auditory selective attention proces s in the brain, and cognitive and behavioral disability in real-world situa tions. This research direction may provide a basis for the development and implementation of an effective strategy for treatment of cognitive dysfunct ion in neuropsychiatric disorders. Curr Opin Psychiatry 14:219-225. (C) 200 1 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.