The role of brain-localized gamma and alpha oscillations in inattentional deafness: implications for understanding human attention

Callan, Daniel E.; Callan, Daniel E.; Fukada, Takashi; Fukada, Takashi; Dehais, Frédéric; Ishii, Shin; Ishii, Shin · 2023 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1168108

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Summary

This study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying inattentional deafness, specifically examining the roles of gamma and alpha brain oscillations in selective attention during high-workload multitasking. While previous research has linked alpha-band activity to the inhibition of task-irrelevant stimuli, investigations into inattentional deafness have rarely identified gamma-band activity, which is theorized to facilitate task-relevant processing. The authors hypothesize that this gap may stem from the use of artificial laboratory tasks that fail to engage natural attentional systems. To address this, the study employs a neuroergonomic approach, utilizing an immersive, real-world-like dual-task paradigm to identify brain-localized correlates of successful and unsuccessful auditory perception. The experimental design involved 14 participants performing a demanding primary task—playing the Nintendo Wii Skateboard Arena game using a balance board—while simultaneously executing a secondary auditory difference detection task. Participants had to press a button whenever an auditory stimulus (an upward or downward chirp) differed from the preceding one. Electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded using a dry-wireless system and processed to remove motion artifacts inherent to the physical skateboarding task. Source localization was performed using low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) to analyze gamma (30–50 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) band activity. The analysis compared brain activity during auditory "hits" (correct detections) versus "misses" (failed detections) in both pre-stimulus (−1000 to −50 ms) and post-stimulus (0 to 500 ms) windows, as well as event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) analyses. The results demonstrated that auditory task performance was significantly correlated with specific oscillatory patterns. Gamma-band activity was greater for hits than misses in left auditory processing regions, both before and after stimulus onset, supporting the theory that gamma oscillations facilitate task-relevant processing. Conversely, alpha-band activity was higher for misses than hits in right auditory processing regions, consistent with the inhibitory role of alpha oscillations in suppressing non-dominant tasks. Additionally, differential gamma and alpha activity was observed in frontal and parietal regions, areas associated with attentional monitoring, selection, and switching. These findings held true across high-workload skateboarding levels and lower-workload transition periods, confirming that the observed neural patterns were linked to attentional demands rather than mere perceptual differences. The study concludes that gamma and alpha oscillations play distinct facilitatory and inhibitory roles, respectively, in modality-specific brain regions during naturalistic multitasking. By successfully identifying gamma-band activity in the context of inattentional deafness, the research fills a critical gap in the literature, suggesting that engaging, ecologically valid tasks are necessary to fully capture the neural dynamics of human attention. These findings provide deeper insights into how the brain selectively enhances relevant sensory inputs while suppressing irrelevant ones under high cognitive load, with implications for understanding natural cognition and neuroergonomics.

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• attention selective divided