Dopamine and the Prefontal Cortex

[VisualDude]

Eyes, Window to the Soul - and to Dopamine Levels? http://develintel.bl...o-dopamine.html

A somewhat informal article but notice:

"One hypothesized function of cortical dopamine is the "gating" of representations into prefrontal cortex. In other words, new items become updated into working memory by increases in dopamine activity, where they are maintained until another phasic increase in dopamine. In this way, dopamine levels are thought to maintain a balance between flexibility (being able to switch attention to new items) and stability (being able to ignore distracting items). This is sometimes called the flexibility/stability dilemma. There is also evidence that this "balance" of dopamine is arrived at through reward conditioning, such that stimuli associated with rewards tend to evoke larger increases in dopamine and thus are more likely to be attended."

In other words, dopamine in the executive center is used to controlling attention and in updating/switching attention (cognitive control). This would include 'updating' items that are in your attention span. Perhaps this is a connection between low dopamine and sluggish, 'drunk' vision ... and frames.

If it helps - the retina (and many parts of the brain) send information (by pulses as always) only when there is a change - thus the term 'phasic' for change. Blinking would 'reset' information from the retina ... so increased blinking (just as with frequent shifting of the position of the eyes) is connected to faster updates of objects (of attention) in short term memory. [ clear as mud ? ]

[nepuinthesky]

Blinking would 'reset' information from the retina ... so increased blinking (just as with frequent shifting of the position of the eyes) is connected to faster updates of objects (of attention) in short term memory. [ clear as mud ? ]

this is a good point, some of my first experiences with the visuals was shifting my eyes helps me not seeing snow and resets POSITIVE afterimages.

but as you mentioned in the retina thread negative afterimages seems to extend longer while blinking.

another point is i noticed how longer i look at something means less afterimaegs my afterimages are worse while looking at something for a second and then away.