Keywords layer 6b attention thalamocortical circuits neuromodulation orexin working memory higher-order thalamus synaptic facilitation apical dendrites perceptual binding The thalamocortical system: Gatekeeper of experience As we go through our day, we direct our attention to tasks and events that are important to us, an essential cognitive process that depends critically on the thalamocortical system.1,2,3,4 Your neocortex and thalamus dynamically interact, enabling you to attend to and...