Health

By Pesach Benson • July 21, 2025

Jerusalem, 21 July, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Groundbreaking research from Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that the brain’s focus flickers approximately eight times every second rather than maintaining a smooth, continuous flow.

Led by cognitive neuroscientist Prof. Ayelet N. Landau, the study challenges the long-held belief that attention operates like a steady spotlight. Instead, the brain processes visual information in rapid, rhythmic bursts—a process the team calls “attentional sampling.”

In a recent opinion piece published in the peer-reviewed journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Landau and her colleagues Daniele Re and Flor Kusnir reveal a new understanding of how our brains manage the overwhelming flood of visual input we encounter every moment. “Our environment bombards us with visual information, but our brain can’t process everything at once,” Landau explained. “What we’re seeing in attentional sampling is the brain’s elegant solution—rhythmically switching between competing inputs.”

This switching doesn’t happen randomly. Instead, it follows a steady beat, flickering roughly eight times per second when focusing on a single object. But when attention is divided between two things, the rhythm slows to about four snapshots per second per item, alternating focus back and forth. This discovery fundamentally changes how scientists think about attention: rather than a continuous spotlight, attention functions like a strobe light, rapidly cycling through what we see.

The team’s findings build on the well-established “biased competition” theory, which explains how different groups of neurons in the brain compete for dominance when multiple stimuli are present. Previously, scientists believed attention simply amplified one stimulus at the expense of others. However, Landau’s research shows that instead of choosing just one, the brain dynamically alternates focus between stimuli in a rhythmic pattern. This oscillation allows multiple objects to share processing time, resolving neural competition in a more flexible way than previously understood.

Remarkably, this attentional rhythm emerges even when people are unaware of conflicting visual inputs. For example, when subtly different images are presented to each eye—a common experimental method—the brain still cycles its focus automatically. “These aren’t conscious shifts,” Landau said. “Even when we think we’re focusing on a single object, our attention may be dancing across the scene in ways we don’t realize.” This suggests the rhythm is a fundamental, default mode of perception rather than a deliberate act.

What governs this internal flicker remains uncertain. Some evidence points to higher brain regions involved in decision-making that may act as conductors, orchestrating the attentional beat. Other theories suggest local circuits within the visual cortex generate these rhythms. Regardless of the mechanism, the implications extend beyond vision. Understanding this rhythmic sampling could inform better design of digital interfaces and new approaches to treating neurological disorders.

The practical applications of this research on rhythmic attentional sampling are broad and promising.

Understanding how the brain naturally cycles its focus could influence the design of digital interfaces and user experiences, helping to create screens, apps, and notifications that better align with our brain’s natural attentional rhythms.

These insights could inform new approaches to diagnosing and treating neurological disorders related to attention, such as ADHD or certain visual processing impairments. By targeting or mimicking these natural attentional rhythms, therapies might be developed to enhance focus or manage sensory overload more effectively.

Additionally, the findings may impact fields like education and training, where structuring information delivery in sync with attentional rhythms could boost learning and retention.

“What excites me,” Landau said, “is that this rhythmic attentional sampling might be a general principle—not just for vision, but for how the brain manages sensory overload across all systems.”