Signal Processing and Distribution in Cortical?Brainstem Pathways for Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements

Date
5/21/2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Abstract

Smooth pursuit (SP) eye movements are used to maintain the image of a moving object relatively stable on the fovea. Even when tracking a single target over a dark background, multiple areas including frontal eye fields (FEF) and middle temporal (MT) and medial superior temporal (MST) cortex contribute to converting visual signals into initial commands for SP. Signals in the cortical pursuit system reach the oculomotor cerebellum through brainstem centers including the dorsolateral pontine nucleus (DLPN), nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP), and pretectal nucleus of the optic tract (NOT). The relative information carried in these parallel pathways remains to be fully defined. We used multiple linear?regression modeling to estimate the relative sensitivities of cortical (MST, FEF), pontine (NRTP, DLPN), and NOT neurons to eye? and retinal?error parameters (position, velocity, and acceleration) during step?ramp SP of macaques (Macaca mulatta). We found that a large proportion of pursuit?related MST and DLPN neurons were most sensitive to eye?velocity or retinal error velocity. In contrast, a large proportion of FEF and rostral NRTP neurons were most sensitive to eye acceleration. Visual neurons in MST, DLPN, and NOT were most sensitive to retinal image velocity.

Description
Keywords
Cerebral cortex, Eye movements, Macaque, Pontine, Pretectum
Citation
Copyright 2009 Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. This is a post-print version of a published paper that is available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057571/pdf/nihms121601.pdf. Recommended citation: Mustari, Michael J., Seiji Ono, and Vallabh E. Das. "Signal Processing and Distribution in Cortical-Brainstem Pathways for Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements." Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1164 (2009): 147. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.03859.x. This item has been deposited in accordance with publisher copyright and licensing terms and with the author’s permission.