UC San Diego

The ability to shift our internal state to meet expected environmental demands fundamentally molds our experience of and interaction with the world, supporting learning, speech comprehension, and social behaviors. Such dynamic attending relies on (1) temporal expectations to guide neurobehavioral state shifts and (2) sufficient state flexibility to allow for these shifts. When the latter goes awry, we may struggle to increment our attention when faced with challenge or decrement arousal despite quiescent conditions. Whereas previous literature on dynamic attention emphasizes the role of temporal expectancy, little research examines the interplay between state flexibility and temporal processing. The present thesis aims to fill this gap in scientific knowledge by addressing both temporal processing and state flexibility in relation to dynamic attention. To do so, we measure sensorimotor synchronization and brain responses to rhythmic auditory stimuli to examine temporal processing, whilst considering the influence of diverse stressors on one’s ability to shift states via self-reported lifestyle factors and emotional wellbeing.

In an experiment using both behavior and electrophysiology, Chapter 1 identifies a potential neural marker of auditory temporal processing. Chapter 2 subsequently provides an integrative review elucidating the influence of psychological and physiological stressors on brain state and state flexibility through allostasis. Chapter 3 then lends support to the arguments outlined in Chapter 2, describing an experiment in which chronic stress burden was found to correlate with resting cortical state. Lastly, a collaborative systematic review in Chapter 4 highlights the therapeutic potential of voluntary regulated breathing as a means of stress-reduction. Cumulatively, this research emphasizes the importance of neurobehavioral state flexibility in dynamic attention and its modulation by varied stressors. This synthesis illuminates the extensive yet underappreciated interconnectedness of brain, body, and behavior and urges a reconceptualization of stress, health, and the brain to lead future research and application.