The Role of the Pulvinar in Spatial Visual Attention.

This chapter deals with the role of the pulvinar in spatial visual attention. There are at least two aspects in which the pulvinar seems to be instrumental for selective visual processes. The first aspect concerns pulvinar connectivity pattern. The pulvinar is connected with brain regions known to be playing a role in attentional mechanisms, such as area V4, the superior colliculus (SC), and the inferior parietal cortex (IP). Additionally, the pulvinar is richly interconnected with multiple cortical areas. This enables the pulvinar to serve as a hub for brain communication, potentially gating the flow of information across different regions. The second aspect concerns neuronal circuits intrinsic to the pulvinar. We claim these circuits are subserving three basic steps regarding the allocation of spatial attention: disengaging from the current focus of attention, moving it to a new target, and engaging it at a new position.