The LC–NE (locus coeruleus norepinephrine) system works in parallel with cognitive
capacity, thus determining and influencing performance and efficiency. The
relationship between attention and memory is close and interdependent. The relationship
between attention, memory and pupillometry has been the subject of a large body of
research, the central theme of which is that pupil dilation is a reliable measure
of cognitive effort, attention and memory processes. Pupillometry shows that pupil
size increases when a person's attention is engaged in an increased cognitive load
or memory task. This phenomenon is observed during both
working memory and episodic memory recall. For example, pupil dilation may be associated
with memory encoding and retrieval, as well as with the allocation of attentional
resources Attention helps to select and process information, while memory stores this
information for longer periods of time. The attentional focus of individuals influences
which information is retained in memory over the long term. Pupillometry, which measures
changes in pupil size, is a useful tool for investigating this relationship. Pupil
size has been linked to cognitive load and attention intensity, so pupillometry offers
a way to better understand attentional and memory processes. Consequently, in the
present experiment we were to investigate how the efficiency of delayed recall of
auditory stimuli is related
to the level of attention, mind-wandering, and change in pupil size.
