The brain has the ability to focus and to process a stimulus on both a superficial and more deep level. The allocation of mental energy to process information is referred to as attention and concentration. The more deeply one attends to a particular stimulus the better the information will be encoded, understood, and retained.
Some suggest attention is primarily related to the frontal systems of the brain. However, attention is perhaps better considered a general brain function with multiple inputs from diverse regions. The brain stem is needed for basic arousal and ability to engage the cortex. Sensory systems across the cortex are then engaged and indeed the frontal system that may help to integrate and analyze the stimulus all are critical parts of attention.
Dr. Paul Nussbaum
fitbrains.com
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