Single unit activity in the frontal eye fields of unanesthetized monkeys during eye and head movement

Experimental Brain ResearchPublished 1 February 1970

Emilio Bizzi, Peter H. Schiller

DOI10.1007/bf00234728

Source URL

Citations320

SJR quartileQ3

SJR score0.64

SNIP0.80

TL;DR

A separate population of frontal eye field cells was found to be exclusively related to head turning, and these units displayed a steady discharge when the eyes were oriented in a specific position.

Abstract

Single unit activity in the frontal eye field was investigated in unanesthetized monkeys during eye and head movement. Two types of cells (I and II) were found. Type I fired during voluntary saccadic movement occuring in a given direction and also during the fast phase of optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus. Cells of this type were silent during smooth pursuit movement and the slow phase of nystagmus. It was found that the firing pattern of Type I cells was maintained irrespective of head movement. Type II cells fired during smooth pursuit eye movements and the slow phase of nystagmus; these units displayed a steady discharge when the eyes were oriented in a specific position. Also this type of cell maintained its characteristic discharge during head movement. A separate population of frontal eye field cells was found to be exclusively related to head turning.

Keywords

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