The human brain, despite extraordinary complexity and remarkable capabilities, has distinct limitations; selective attention abilities, the speed in which we process information, our short-term memory capacity, and our ability to resolve interference are all exceeded when demands are too great. Dr. Gazzaley explains how our brains manage the river of data that constantly floods it, how its capacities can be exceeded, and the consequences of this on our cognitive performance. He also presents a fascinating perspective on how our increasingly saturated world of digital media—as well as growing expectations of immediate responsiveness—place excessive demands on our brains.

Dr. Adam Gazzaley is Director of the Neuroscience Imaging Center at the University of California, San Francisco, an Associate Professor in Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, and Principal Investigator of a cognitive neuroscience laboratory studying the neural mechanisms of perception, attention, and memory.