A neural model of the enhancement of perception caused by emotional cues

Recent neuropsychological investigations of the interaction of emotion and attention suggest that emotional value can have a strong effect on the allocation of perceptual and attentional resources. In this paper we focus on a psychophysical study that reports an enhancement of contrast sensitivity to stimuli preceded by emotional cues. We have modelled the behavioural paradigm employed in this study using our CODAM neurodynamic attention model extended with an amygdala component. We have reproduced the psychophysical findings of this study after suitable translation to their neural equivalents and suggested possible further experimental studies prompted by our model´s predictions.