TED2017
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar: What happens in your brain when you pay attention?
梅迪·奧迪哈尼-西野德: 當你集中注意力時，大腦會發生什麽變化？
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注意力與我們所關注的東西無關，而是與我們的大腦過濾出甚麼有關。計算神經科學家梅迪·奧迪哈尼-西野德，希望透過研究大腦在注意力集中時的圖型，將大腦與電腦整合一起，並透過他建立起的模式，來幫助注意力不足過動症和喪失溝通能力的人。在這場簡短引人入勝的演講中，讓我們來聽聽更多激動人心的科學。
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar - Neuroscientist
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar is a computational neuroscientist, researching brain signals and their usage in brain-machine interfaces. Full bio
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar is a computational neuroscientist, researching brain signals and their usage in brain-machine interfaces. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Paying close attention to something:
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專心注意某件事，
00:15
Not that easy, is it?
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並不簡單，對吧？
00:17
It's because our attention is pulled
in so many different directions at a time,
in so many different directions at a time,
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這是因為我們的注意力
同時會被很多不同的東西干擾。
同時會被很多不同的東西干擾。
而且如果你還能保持專注，
真的會令人感到佩服。
真的會令人感到佩服。
00:22
and it's in fact pretty impressive
if you can stay focused.
if you can stay focused.
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00:28
Many people think that attention
is all about what we are focusing on,
is all about what we are focusing on,
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許多人認為注意力與
我們所專注的東西有關，
我們所專注的東西有關，
而實際上與我們的大腦
過濾出甚麼有關。
過濾出甚麼有關。
00:32
but it's also about what information
our brain is trying to filter out.
our brain is trying to filter out.
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00:38
There are two ways
you direct your attention.
you direct your attention.
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有兩種方式主導了你的注意力。
00:41
First, there's overt attention.
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首先是外顯注意力。
00:43
In overt attention,
you move your eyes towards something
you move your eyes towards something
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在外顯注意力中，
你的眼睛會隨著物品移動，
你的眼睛會隨著物品移動，
好讓你可以專注於這個物品。
00:47
in order to pay attention to it.
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00:50
Then there's covert attention.
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然後就是內隱注意力。
00:52
In covert attention,
you pay attention to something,
you pay attention to something,
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在內隱注意力中，
你無需移動你的眼睛，
就能注意到某樣東西。
就能注意到某樣東西。
00:56
but without moving your eyes.
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00:59
Think of driving for a second.
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想像一下你在開車的時候，
01:02
Your overt attention,
your direction of the eyes,
your direction of the eyes,
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你的外顯注意力，
也就是你眼睛的方向
也就是你眼睛的方向
都在前方。
01:06
are in front,
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01:07
but that's your covert attention
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但你的內隱注意力
01:09
which is constantly scanning
the surrounding area,
the surrounding area,
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會不斷地掃視周圍環境，
01:13
where you don't actually look at them.
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而實際上你並不會
刻意去看周圍環境。
刻意去看周圍環境。
01:17
I'm a computational neuroscientist,
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我是一名計算神經科學家，
致力於研究認知腦機介面，
01:19
and I work on cognitive
brain-machine interfaces,
brain-machine interfaces,
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01:22
or bringing together
the brain and the computer.
the brain and the computer.
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或者也可以說人腦和電腦結合。
01:26
I love brain patterns.
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我很喜歡看大腦圖型，
01:28
Brain patterns are important for us
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大腦圖型對於我們來說很重要，
因為有了它們，
我們可以在電腦內建立模型，
我們可以在電腦內建立模型，
01:30
because based on them
we can build models for the computers,
we can build models for the computers,
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01:33
and based on these models
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然後基於這些模型，
01:35
computers can recognize
how well our brain functions.
how well our brain functions.
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電腦可以識別出
我們的大腦運作的好不好。
我們的大腦運作的好不好。
如果大腦不能很好地運作，
01:39
And if it doesn't function well,
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01:42
then these computers themselves
can be used as assistive devices
can be used as assistive devices
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這些電腦就可以成為
治療的輔助裝置。
01:46
for therapies.
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01:48
But that also means something,
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但這也意味著
01:51
because choosing the wrong patterns
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如果選擇了錯誤的圖型，
我們就會建立出錯誤的模式，
01:53
will give us the wrong models
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01:55
and therefore the wrong therapies.
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結果會導致錯誤的治療方法。
對吧？
01:57
Right?
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01:59
In case of attention,
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關於注意力，
事實上我們不僅可以
02:01
the fact that we can
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02:03
shift our attention not only by our eyes
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透過眼睛來轉移注意力，
還可以透過思考......
02:07
but also by thinking --
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02:09
that makes covert attention
an interesting model for computers.
an interesting model for computers.
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讓內隱注意力
變成電腦裡一個有趣的模式。
變成電腦裡一個有趣的模式。
02:14
So I wanted to know
what are the brainwave patterns
what are the brainwave patterns
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因此我會想知道，
當你在外顯或內隱觀察時，
當你在外顯或內隱觀察時，
02:17
when you look overtly
or when you look covertly.
or when you look covertly.
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腦波圖型會有什麽變化。
02:22
I set up an experiment for that.
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我為此建立了一個實驗。
02:24
In this experiment
there are two flickering squares,
there are two flickering squares,
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實驗中會有兩個正在閃爍的方塊，
其中一個方塊
閃爍的速度比另一個慢。
閃爍的速度比另一個慢。
02:27
one of them flickering
at a slower rate than the other one.
at a slower rate than the other one.
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02:32
Depending on which of these flickers
you are paying attention to,
you are paying attention to,
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看你是專注在哪一個方塊，
你大腦的某個區域
就會同時產生反應，
就會同時產生反應，
02:36
certain parts of your brain
will start resonating in the same rate
will start resonating in the same rate
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反應的頻率就跟閃爍頻率一樣。
02:41
as that flickering rate.
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02:44
So by analyzing your brain signals,
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所以透過分析你的大腦信號，
我們就可以追蹤到
你正在看哪裡
你正在看哪裡
02:46
we can track where exactly
you are watching
you are watching
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02:50
or you are paying attention to.
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或者你正在專注哪個地方。
02:55
So to see what happens in your brain
when you pay overt attention,
when you pay overt attention,
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所以為了想要看看你在運用
外顯注意力時大腦裡發生的情況，
外顯注意力時大腦裡發生的情況，
我會要求實驗者，
直接看著其中一個方塊
直接看著其中一個方塊
02:59
I asked people to look directly
in one of the squares
in one of the squares
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並專注地看。
03:02
and pay attention to it.
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03:04
In this case, not surprisingly,
we saw that these flickering squares
we saw that these flickering squares
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在實驗中，毫無意外地，
我們看到了這些閃爍的信號
我們看到了這些閃爍的信號
出現在大腦中，
03:10
appeared in their brain signals
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這些信號是從頭部後方發出來的，
03:12
which was coming
from the back of their head,
from the back of their head,
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03:15
which is responsible for the processing
of your visual information.
of your visual information.
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而這個地方就是負責處理
視覺信息的地方。
視覺信息的地方。
03:20
But I was really interested
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但我真正有興趣的是：
當你在運用內隱注意力時
大腦裡會發生的情況。
大腦裡會發生的情況。
03:22
to see what happens in your brain
when you pay covert attention.
when you pay covert attention.
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03:26
So this time I asked people
to look in the middle of the screen
to look in the middle of the screen
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所以這一次，我要求實驗者
看著螢幕的正中間，
看著螢幕的正中間，
而且不能移動眼睛。
03:30
and without moving their eyes,
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03:33
to pay attention
to either of these squares.
to either of these squares.
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這樣就能夠注意到
其中一個方塊。
其中一個方塊。
03:37
When we did that,
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當我們這樣實驗時，
03:38
we saw that both of these flickering rates
appeared in their brain signals,
appeared in their brain signals,
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我們觀察到兩個閃爍方塊的頻率
都出現在他們的大腦信號，
都出現在他們的大腦信號，
但有趣的是，
03:42
but interestingly,
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03:44
only one of them,
which was paid attention to,
which was paid attention to,
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被投以關注的其中一個方塊
信號更加強烈，
03:48
had stronger signals,
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03:49
so there was something in the brain
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因此大腦裡有某樣東西
03:52
which was handling this information
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正在負責處理這類的信息。
而這個東西基本上就在
大腦的前額活動區。
大腦的前額活動區。
03:54
so that thing in the brain was basically
the activation of the frontal area.
the activation of the frontal area.
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04:02
The front part of your brain
is responsible
is responsible
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大腦的前半部負責
人類較高層次的認知功能。
04:05
for higher cognitive functions as a human.
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04:09
The frontal part,
it seems that it works as a filter
it seems that it works as a filter
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大腦前額區的運作方式
就像過濾器，
就像過濾器，
04:14
trying to let information come in
only from the right flicker
only from the right flicker
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它會嘗試著把你所專注的方塊信號
發進大腦裡，
04:19
that you are paying attention to
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04:21
and trying to inhibit the information
coming from the ignored one.
coming from the ignored one.
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同時也會把忽略的信號給屏蔽掉。
04:27
The filtering ability of the brain
is indeed a key for attention,
is indeed a key for attention,
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大腦的過濾能力
就是注意力產生的關鍵，
就是注意力產生的關鍵，
這種能力在某些人身上是缺乏的，
04:32
which is missing in some people,
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04:35
for example in people with ADHD.
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比如說，有注意力不足過動症的人
04:38
So a person with ADHD
cannot inhibit these distractors,
cannot inhibit these distractors,
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因而有注意力不足過動症的人
無法抑制住這些干擾信號，
無法抑制住這些干擾信號，
這就是他們不能
長時間專注於某一任務的原因。
長時間專注於某一任務的原因。
04:43
and that's why they can't focus
for a long time on a single task.
for a long time on a single task.
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04:49
But what if this person
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但如果這個人
可以玩一種特定的電腦遊戲，
04:51
could play a specific computer game
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04:54
with his brain connected to the computer,
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讓他的大腦與電腦連接，
04:58
and then train his own brain
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然後訓練他自己的大腦
05:01
to inhibit these distractors?
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去抑制這些干擾信號呢？
05:05
Well, ADHD is just one example.
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是的，注意力不足過動症
只是其中一個例子。
只是其中一個例子。
05:09
We can use these cognitive
brain-machine interfaces
brain-machine interfaces
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我們可以把這些認知腦機介面
運用到其它的認知領域中。
05:12
for many other cognitive fields.
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05:15
It was just a few years ago
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就在幾年前，
我祖父中風了，
他完全喪失了說話的能力。
他完全喪失了說話的能力。
05:17
that my grandfather had a stroke,
and he lost complete ability to speak.
and he lost complete ability to speak.
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05:24
He could understand everybody,
but there was no way to respond,
but there was no way to respond,
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他能聽見任何人的聲音，
但無法作出回應，
但無法作出回應，
也寫不出來，因為他不識字。
05:28
even not writing
because he was illiterate.
because he was illiterate.
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05:32
So he passed away in silence.
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最後他安靜地離開了人世。
05:36
I remember thinking at that time:
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我記得，當時我正在想：
假如我們有一台電腦
05:39
What if we could have a computer
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05:43
which could speak for him?
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可以替他講話會是怎樣呢？
05:45
Now, after years that I am in this field,
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幾年後，我投入這個領域
我能預見，這是有可能的。
05:48
I can see that this might be possible.
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05:52
Imagine if we can find brainwave patterns
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想像一下，如果我們可以
在想像圖片或文字時
在想像圖片或文字時
05:55
when people think
about images or even letters,
about images or even letters,
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找出腦波圖型，
05:59
like the letter A generates
a different brainwave pattern
a different brainwave pattern
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像是字母 A 形成的腦波圖型
與字母 B 的不一樣，諸如此類的。
06:02
than the letter B, and so on.
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06:04
Could a computer one day
communicate for people who can't speak?
communicate for people who can't speak?
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那麼，電腦會不會有一天，
就能為那些無法說話的人發聲？
就能為那些無法說話的人發聲？
06:09
What if a computer
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如果電腦
06:11
can help us understand
the thoughts of a person in a coma?
the thoughts of a person in a coma?
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能幫助我們了解處於昏迷狀態中的
人的想法又會是怎樣呢？
人的想法又會是怎樣呢？
06:17
We are not there yet,
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我們還沒有實現那樣的願景，
06:19
but pay close attention.
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但我們會極度關注。
我們很快就能將其實現。
06:22
We will be there soon.
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06:23
Thank you.
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謝謝。
（掌聲）
06:25
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar - NeuroscientistMehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar is a computational neuroscientist, researching brain signals and their usage in brain-machine interfaces.
Why you should listen
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar is a research scientist interested in brain-wave patterns generated by neural activities in the brain. Since embarking on his research on neuroscience, Ordikhani-Seyedlar has been working on different brain functions such as learning, memory, pain and, more recently, visual attention in humans. He also conducted a part of his research on monkeys when he was in Dr. Miguel Nicolelis' lab at Duke University. His findings help implement more accurate brain-machine interfaces to treat people who are suffering from attention deficiency.
After receiving his Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering, Ordikhani-Seyedlar was offered a postdoctoral position by Duke University to develop algorithms to process large-scale neuronal activity and brain-machine interfaces. However, due to political complications in the United States, Ordikhani-Seyedlar -- an Iranian citizen -- changed his plan to continue his brain research outside the US for some time.
As a passionate neuroscientist and neuroengineer, Ordikhani-Seyedlar's aim is to improve brain pattern detectability in computers. This enhances the ability of brain-machine interfaces substantially to better target the defected brain function which in turn enhances the sustainability of treatment effect.
Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar | Speaker | TED.com