title: Reversible mechanical fixation of eye position in awake head-restrained pigeons (Columba livia).
abstract: Here we describe a method to fix gaze positions and to significantly reduce saccadic oscillations in pigeons. The procedure consists of a mechanical immobilization of the eye through the use of an electromagnet that exerts a radial force upon a small metal rectangle glued to the dorsal part of the eye. The method can be used in avian visual neurophysiology in order to hold the eye immobilized for periods of time, long enough to map the properties of visual receptive fields and investigate the possible functions of saccadic oscillations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago. letelier@abello.dic.uchile.cl
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Letelier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mpodozis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Henny
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Madrid
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velasco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*