Neurological diseases and cognitive processes discussed at INFOCUS

Istanbul Medipol University Health Science and Technologies Research Institute (SABITA) organized an event titled “INFOCUS Scientific Gatherings with a Purpose”. The event, which took place at the South Campus Conference Hall, featured speeches by neuroscientist Prof. John J. Foxe from the University of Rochester, Prof. Bahar Güntekin from the Istanbul Medipol University School of Medicine, and Dr. Esra Nur Yiğit from the International School of Medicine. In addition to SABITA researchers, many academics and students attended the scientific event. As part of the event, Prof. John J. Foxe delivered a presentation titled “Oscillatory Brain Activity and the Deployment of Attention”. In his speech, Prof. Foxe explained how brain waves play a role in thinking, focusing, and directing attention. He stated that alpha waves, especially between 8-14 Hz, are effective in focusing attention on a specific point.

PROF. FOXE: BRAIN WAVES PLAY CRITICAL ROLE IN DIRECTING ATTENTION 
Explaining that brain waves play a critical role in directing attention, Prof. Foxe said: “We see that alpha waves play a critical role in the processes of directing attention and focusing on specific stimuli. For instance, when we need to listen carefully to a sound, the power of alpha waves increases and suppresses unnecessary visual information. We call this process ‘cross-sensory suppression’. Stating that they also examined the differences between individuals in their research, Prof. Foxe said: “We found that there were some disruptions in these processes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. On the other hand, we observed that alpha waves were stronger in certain areas in hearing-impaired individuals. These findings allow us to learn more about sensory processing and cognitive function.”