Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a group of neurons in an ancient brain region that helps filter distractions and maintain focus. Experiments in mice showed that temporarily disabling these cells led to increased distractibility similar to symptoms seen in ADHD.
The study, published in Nature Communications, focused on inhibitory neurons in the brainstem. These cells are present across vertebrate species and appear to support selective spatial attention by evaluating competing signals and directing focus to the most relevant information.
Senior author Shreesh Mysore said the findings match a hallmark of ADHD. "A hallmark of ADHD is that even faint distractors draw attention away -- and that's exactly what we see here when these neurons are silenced," he noted. Lead author Ninad Kothari added that the brainstem region provides this ability even in animals without a highly developed prefrontal cortex.
When the neurons were reactivated the next day, the mice regained normal focus. Additional tests ruled out vision or movement issues as causes of the distraction.
The researchers suggest the neurons may play a similar role in humans and could inform future treatments for attention-related disorders such as ADHD and autism.
