This study investigated the effects of familiarization and attention on event-related potential (ERP) correlates of recognition memory in infants. Infants 4.5, 6, or 7.5 months of age were either familiarized with 2 stimuli that were used during later testing or presented 2 stimuli that were not used later. Then, infants were presented with a recording of Sesame Street to elicit attention or inattention and presented with familiar and novel stimuli. A negative ERP component over the frontal and central electrodes (Nc) was larger in the preexposure familiarization group for novel- than for familiar-stimulus presentations, whereas the Nc did not differ for the group not receiving a familiarization exposure. Spatial independent components analysis of the electroencephelogram and “equivalent current dipole ” analysis were used to examine putative cortical sources of the ERP components. The cortical source of Nc was located in areas of prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Visual attention and recognition memory in infants are closely related. For example, infants demonstrate greater memory for events they were exposed to while in an attentive state than for events they were exposed to in an inattentive state (Frick & Richards, 2001; Richards, 1997). Events that have been partially

Sequential activation of human oculomotor centers during

Twelve healthy subjects underwent investigation of averaged (electroencephalogram) EEG potentials during preparation for motor activity and in the latent period (LP) of visually evoked saccades by presentation of stimuli using Posner’s (1980) design of “cost-benefit. ” It has been shown that covert spatial attention orientation leads to an increase in amplitude and decrease in latency of presaccadic initiation potential peaks within the saccadic latent period (LP) (P-100, N –50). Processes of covert orientation of attention during the interstimulus interval period of anticipation of the target stimulus correlate with the increase of slow negativity of fronto-parietal-temporal localization. Spatial-temporal changes of presaccadic potentials are evidence of the fact that orientation of attention during motor preparation and saccadic initiation is reflected in intensification of fronto-parietal networks of saccadic control and attention, activating the fronto-medio-thalamic and thalamo-parietal modulating systems.