Neuronal activity during eye movements in a visual association area of cat cerebral cortex

It is suggested that postsaccadic facilitation, which underlies the reactions of type IIb and IIc, may be a correlate of visual attention during the fixation period.

Abstract

270 single neurons from the anterior part of the middle suprasylvian gyrus (AMSS) were recorded in awake and non-paralyzed cats (Chronic preparation). 10% were unresponsive to visual stimulation, the remainder reacted well to moving visual stimuli. Half of the units tested were directionally selective. Horizontal, or downward preferred directions predominated. Most neurons were relative insensitive to changes of shape, orientation, contrast, and velocity of the visual stimulus. Some neurons preferred rapid (100°/sec) jerky movements, others required complex motions of irregular shapes, a few strongly preferred objects moving towards the animal in the midsagittal plane. 40% of neurons yielded phasic On-Off reaction to flashing stationary spots. Habituation to repeated stimulation was a common feature and occured in 50% of AMSS neurons. In 19% of neurons tested the discharge rate was not affected by saccadic eye movements, when the animal faced a patterned background. Among the remainder two types of saccade associated responses could be distinguished. Type I discharged prior to or simultaneously with the onset of saccades. This early response was usually associated with saccades of particular directions. Saccades in total darkness yielded weaker and less consistent responses. Type II discharged subsequent to the onset of the saccades after a latency of 40 msec (type IIa), 40–80 msec (type IIb) and 80 msec (type IIc). Responses of type IIa are probably consequences of the retinal effects of eye movements. The saccade associated responses of type Ia, IIb and IIc are tentatively interpreted as results of an eye movement-synchroneous subcortical input, which facilitates transmission in AMSS neurons. Presaccadic facilitation, which generates type Ia responses, may be functionally related to shifts of attention prior to eye movements. It is suggested that postsaccadic facilitation, which underlies the reactions of type IIb and IIc, may be a correlate of visual attention during the fixation period.