The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	The clinical features of attention deficits
Language	J
AuthorList	Yumiko Uchiyama
Affiliation	Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 34 (2), 155-162, 2018
Received
Accepted
Abstract	Attention is fundamental for various cognitive functions. Therefore activities of daily living and life can be damaged by attention deficits. Classically, the anatomical basis of the attention system is divided into three networks: an alerting network, including the brain stem reticular system, thalamus, and frontal and parietal cortices; an orienting network consisting of regions in the intraparietal sulcus/superior parietal lobe, the temporoparietal junction, frontal eye fields and the ventral frontal cortex; and an executive network, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/medial superior frontal cortex. Recent advances in attention research have suggested that the brain regions associated with attention include cholinergic and noradrenaline pathways, the cingulo-opercular networks and the frontoparietal networks. Unilateral spatial neglect, Bálint syndrome and perseverative agraphia have been described as clinical features of attention deficits. Attention is disrupted by not only focal brain damage but also developmental impairment and degenerative disorders, such as dementia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficits in these diseases have also been described.
Keywords	attention, brain network, attention deficit