Unravelling Spatial Attention: Brain Mechanisms Underlying the Way We Orient Our Attention in External and Internal Space

Dear Colleagues,

Spatial attention is a key determinant of information processing and environmental interaction as it often provides a gateway for conscious perception across a wide range of cognitive processes across multiple domains. Notably, attention could be oriented towards external stimuli, but it could also be internally directed as in interoception processes.

This Special Issue aims to consolidate and advance our current knowledge about spatial attention by delving into the intricate brain mechanisms that underlie the orientation of attention in both external and internal domains. The scope encompasses a multidisciplinary approach, fostering collaboration among researchers from neuroscience, psychology, and related fields. By synthesizing existing knowledge and exploring novel avenues, this Special Issue seeks to illuminate the neural underpinnings of spatial attention with a focus on both theoretical frameworks and empirical findings.

This Special Issue will feature cutting-edge research that employs state-of-the-art methodologies, including advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as EEG, fMRI, HRV, and pupil dilation, as well as computational modeling. Contributions are encouraged to showcase investigations across diverse populations, ranging from healthy volunteers to individuals with brain lesions or neurodegenerative disorders.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to neural correlates of attentional shifts, the interplay between external and internal attention, and clinical implications for disorders affecting attentional processes. We also encourage submissions that integrate findings across different levels of analysis.

By bringing together diverse perspectives and groundbreaking research, this Special Issue aspires to be a definitive resource for researchers and practitioners interested in unraveling the mysteries of spatial attention and its implications for cognition and behavior.

Dr. Stefano Lasaponara
Guest Editor

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• attention
• spatial cognition
• orienting
• interoception
• neuroimaging