Final answer:
The brain areas involved in attention include the primary cortical areas (such as the primary visual cortex and primary auditory cortex) and adjacent association areas, as well as the prefrontal lobe for executive functions and attention focus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brain Areas Involved in Attention
The areas involved in attention span across various parts of the brain and include both sensory and motor functions. The primary cortical areas, such as areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 17, and 22, receive initial sensory information or send out motor commands. These regions are directly involved in processing sensory inputs from the thalamus and controlling motor actions. For instance, area 17, known as the primary visual cortex, processes visual information, while area 22, the primary auditory cortex, processes auditory information.
Adjacent to these primary areas are the association areas, which further process the sensory information. For example, area 18 and 19 are involved in further visual processing, and area 23 in auditory processing. The prefrontal lobe is crucial for executive functions and attention, where it inhibits distractions and focuses on goal-directed behaviors.
During tasks that require attention, multiple areas of the brain, including visual sensory areas, integrating areas, and motor areas for eye movement and pressing buttons, are active.