In summary, the basic LI phenomenon represents some output of a selective attention process that results in learning to ignore irrelevant stimuli.

It has thus been suggested that learning (of task irrelevant stimuli) is contingent upon spatially diffusive learning signals.

Some have contested the spatial filtering hypothesis, arguing that the N2pc reflects an enhancement of task-relevant stimulus processing rather than a suppression of irrelevant stimuli.

As the brain develops, it becomes able to discriminate between relevant and irrelevant sensory stimuli.

The visual system therefore needs a way to select relevant information and ignore irrelevant stimuli.

In effect, the animal learns to stop responding to irrelevant stimuli.

Some experiments may use additional interferences such as changing the position of the stimuli or presenting completely irrelevant stimuli during either of these trials.

Psychologists now believe that memory deficits which occur as we get older may be because we lose the ability to suppress irrelevant thoughts or irrelevant stimuli.

They cited various theories that Parkinson's interferes with the perceptual representation system, especially the ability to screen out irrelevant stimuli.

This indicates that people diagnosed with ADHD experience an impaired cognitive inhibition ability and find it difficult to suppress irrelevant stimuli.