The effects of covert attention and stimulus complexity on the P3 response during an auditory continuous performance task.

This study examined the effects of motor responding and stimulus complexity on the event-related potential (ERP) P3 amplitude and latency during an auditory continuous performance task (A-CPT). Subjects were presented with undegraded and degraded syllables during two experimental conditions. In the motor attention (MA) condition participants performed a button press to target syllables.

Covert auditory attention generates activation in the rostral/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is believed to mediate conscious information processing or high-capacity attention. However, previous functional imaging studies have largely relied on tasks that involve motor function as well as attention. The work from our group utilizing an auditory continuous performance task demonstrated increased activity in a caudal division of the ACC that borders the supplementary motor area (SMA).