Blinks of the eye predict blinks of the mind

The Attentional Blink (AB) - a deficit in reporting the second of two target stimuli presented in close succession in a rapid sequence of distracters - has been related to individual processing limitations of working memory. Given the known role of dopamine (DA) in working memory processes, the present experiment tested the hypothesis that DA, and in particular the DA/D1 subsystem, plays a role in the AB. We present evidence that the spontaneous eyeblink rate (EBR), a functional marker of central dopaminergic function, reliably predicts the size of AB.Thus, in line with our hypothesis, these data point to a modulatory role for DA in the AB. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.