title: Disorders of saccades.
abstract: Saccades are rapid eye movements that assist vision by pointing the fovea of the retina, which contains the highest density of photoreceptors, at features of interest in the visual environment. A great deal is now known about the properties and neurobiology of saccades in both health and disease states. They have consequently become a valuable diagnostic and research tool. In this review, we describe the common saccadic disorders and their causes. We also highlight recent insights into the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these disorders and discuss how these insights have helped increase our understanding of the saccadic system as a whole.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, HAN 5040, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thurtell
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Tomsak
authors.forename: R John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Leigh
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000592:standards; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*