Attention-specific effects of haloperidol on transient 40-Hz auditory response

Introduction Selective attention refers to the ability to pick relevant stimuli embedded in a vast amount of information. Previous clinical and basic studies suggest that the dopamine system may be associated with this fundamental function [1,2], however, the exact neurochemical basis remains to be elucidated. The cerebral bases of selective attention, and other higher cognitive functions, have been associated with neural activity synchronized at around 40 Hz [3, 3]. For instance, the transient 40-Hz auditory response, detected with both electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) [5], is enhanced by selective attention [4] and gradually attenuated after long-term stimulation due to lessened vigilance [6]. Previous neuropharmacological studies, further, suggest that the transient 40-Hz response is attenuated by GABAA-agonist temazepine [7], and modulated by cholinergic muscarine receptors [8]. The dopaminergic modulation of transient 40-Hz auditory responses has no