top of page
Search

The Neuroscience of Focus: Understanding Attention

Updated: Apr 20

Attention is a complex cognitive process that can be divided into two main mechanisms:

  • Bottom-Up Attention: Guided by external stimuli that stand out due to their salient features. For example, a loud noise or a bright light can automatically capture our attention.

  • Top-Down Attention: Directed by our internal goals and intentions, allowing us to voluntarily focus on specific tasks even in the presence of distractions.

The balance between these systems is mediated by distinct neural networks:

  • Default Mode Network: Associated with daydreaming and self-reflection, it is activated when the mind is not focused on specific tasks.

  • Central Executive Network: Responsible for the active control of attention and for executing goal-directed tasks.


The interaction of these networks determines our ability to stay focused and resist distractions.



Concentration and Meditation: From Mindfulness to Linear Intuition


The practice of mindfulness and meditation is often associated with improved concentration, but they represent distinct stages in this development:

  • Mindfulness: Refers to the state of being fully present and aware of current experiences without judgment. This practice strengthens focused attention and emotional regulation.

  • Meditation: Considered a deeper level of concentration, meditation seeks to quiet the mind and access more subtle states of consciousness. Professor DeRose describes this state as "linear intuition", a channel that provides direct knowledge without the interference of the intellect.


Neuroimaging studies indicate that meditative practices can lead to functional and structural changes in the brain, especially in areas related to attention and executive control, such as the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate.



Self-Mastery: Focusing Even Amidst Chaos


Beyond strengthening the brain and silencing both internal and external noise, concentration and meditation are, above all, practices of self-mastery. The goal is not to create a perfectly silent and distraction-free environment — something rarely possible in real life — but rather to train the ability to choose where to place your focus, despite distractions.

This self-mastery is manifested, for example, in the ability to stay focused on an important report even while children are playing nearby, horns are honking outside, and notifications are popping up on the screen. In other words, it's the ability to decide: “right now, I choose to focus on this” — and to sustain that choice.


Over time, systematic training in mindfulness and meditation develops attentional resilience: the ability to return to focus consistently and quickly, even after being momentarily distracted. This is where focus and self-mastery become inseparable.



Obstacles to Focus: Distractions and Mind-Wandering


To optimize concentration, it’s crucial to recognize and address the two main types of interference:

  • External Distractions: Elements in the environment that divert our attention from the current task. Studies show that environmental noise, such as traffic or nearby conversations, can impair academic performance and reduce memory and motivation.

  • Internal Distractions: Intrusive thoughts and mental wanderings that arise internally, compromising sustained attention. Focused meditation practices have revealed specific brain activation patterns associated with mind-wandering and sustained attention.



Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Focus


Scientific research offers several approaches to enhance attention and minimize interference:

  • Mindfulness Training: Mindfulness practices have been shown to increase attention span and reduce the frequency of distracting thoughts. Participants who underwent mindfulness training showed improvements in working memory and reading comprehension test performance.

  • Cognitive Control Techniques: Methods that strengthen executive control can help regulate and suppress interference, improving performance on attention-demanding tasks.

  • Environmental Management: Reducing external distractions, such as minimizing noise and interruptions, can significantly improve focus. Learning environments with less noise are associated with better academic performance in children.

  • Regular Physical Activity: Physical activity programs have been linked to improvements in executive control and cognitive function in children, suggesting that regular exercise can benefit attention and focus.



Practical Implementation in Daily Life


To apply these strategies effectively:

  • Establish Mindfulness Routines: Dedicate 10–20 minutes daily to focused meditation to strengthen attention and reduce mental dispersion.

  • Organize Your Work Environment: Create a space free from external distractions like noise and visual clutter to facilitate concentration.

  • Practice Regular Exercise: Incorporate physical activity into your weekly routine to promote cognitive health and enhance executive control.

  • Use Cognitive Control Techniques: Employ strategies such as the Pomodoro Technique to break work into focused intervals, interspersed with short breaks, optimizing sustained attention.

  • Train Self-Mastery in Real Situations: Practice focusing on simple activities even in noisy or chaotic environments — this is the true training ground for applying focus in real life.



References

  1. Gonçalves, L. A., & Melo, S. R. (2009). A base biológica da atenção. Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR, 13(1), 67-71. citeturn0search27

  2. Dalgalarrondo, P. (2000). Psicopatologia e semiologia dos transtornos mentais.

  3. Sarter, M., Givens, B., & Bruno, J. P. (2001). The cognitive neuroscience of sustained attention: where top-down meets bottom-up. Brain Research Reviews, 35(2), 146-160.

  4. DeRose, L. (2012). A intuição linear. Blog do DeRose. citeturn0search1

  5. Heeren, A., Van Broeck, N., & Philippot, P. (2009). The effects of mindfulness on executive processes and autobiographical memory specificity. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(5), 403-409.

  6. Chiesa, A., Calati, R., & Serretti, A. (2011). Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(3), 449-464.

  7. Cohen-Katz, J., Wiley, S. D., Capuano, T., Baker, D. M., & Shapiro, S. (2005). The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on nurse stress and burnout: A qualitative and quantitative study. Holistic Nursing Practice, 19(1), 26-35.

  8. Ramos, I. A., & Dias, M. B. (2023). Educação ativa: contribuições de jogos e brincadeiras com atividades físicas para as funções executivas de crianças. Revista Projeção e Docência, 14(2), 53-67. citeturn0search3

  9. Chaddock, L., Hillman, C. H., Buck, S. M., & Cohen, N. J. (2011). Aerobic fitness and executive control of relational memory in preadolescent children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(2), 344-349.

  10. Chaddock, L., Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Kim, J. S., Voss, M. W., VanPatter, M., ... & Kramer, A. F. (2012). A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume, and memory performance in preadolescent children. Brain Research, 1358, 172-183.

  11. Liberato, M. R., & Silva, M. R. (2015). Neurociência: uma revisão bibliográfica de como o cérebro aprende. Id on Line Revista de Psicologia, 9(28), 62-74. citeturn0search16

  12. DeRose, L. (2021). Afinal, o que é meditação? LinkedIn. citeturn0search32

  13. Mrazek, M. D., Franklin, M. S., Phillips, D. T., Baird, B., & Schooler, J. W. (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind wandering. Psychological Science, 24(5), 776-781.

  14. Lyons, K. E., & DeLange, J. (2016). Mindfulness matters in the classroom: The effects of mindfulness training on brain development and behavior in children and adolescents. Handbook of Mindfulness in Education, 271-283.

  15. Flook, L., Smalley, S. L., Kitil, M. J., Galla, B. M., Kaiser-Greenland, S., Locke, J., ... & Kasari, C. (2010).Effects of mindful awareness practices on executive functions in elementary school children. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 26(1), 70-95.

  16. Hicks, A. M. (2010). Mindfulness and the therapeutic relationship. Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 47(1), 171.

  17. Shapiro, S. L., & Ziett, E. (2010). Mindfulness training and self-care for health care professionals: Results from a randomized trial. International Journal of Stress Management, 12(2), 164.

  18. Siegel, D. J. (2010). The mindful therapist: A clinician's guide to mindsight and neural integration. W. W. Norton & Company.

  19. Cohen-Katz, J., Wiley, S. D., Capuano, T., Baker, D. M., Kimmel, S., & Shapiro, S. (2005). The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on nurse stress and burnout, part II: A quantitative and qualitative study. Holistic Nursing Practice, 19(1), 26-35.

  20. Chiesa, A., & Serretti, A. (2011). Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 187(3), 441-453.

  21. Jha, A. P., Stanley, E. A., Kiyonaga, A., Wong, L., & Gelfand, L. (2010). Examining the protective effects of mindfulness training on working memory capacity and affective experience. Emotion, 10(1), 54.

bottom of page