Divergence influences triggering of both vertical and horizontal saccades.
OBJECTIVE
In real life, divergence is frequently combined with vertical saccades. The purpose of this study was to examine the initiation of vertical and horizontal saccades, pure or combined with divergence.


METHODS
We used a gap paradigm to elicit vertical or horizontal saccades (10 degrees), pure or combined with a predictable divergence (10 degrees). Eye movements from 12 subjects were recorded with EyeLink II.


RESULTS
The major results were (i) when combined with divergence, the latency of horizontal saccades increased but not the latency of vertical saccades; (ii) for both vertical and horizontal saccades, a tight correlation between the latency of saccade and divergence was found; (iii) when the divergence was anticipated, the saccade was delayed.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the initiation of both components of combined movements is interdependent.
Vernet
Marine
M
IRIS Team, CNRS Paris, Paris, France. marine.vernet@espci.org
Yang
Qing
Q
Daunys
Gintautas
G
Orssaud
Christophe
C
Kapoula
Zoï
Z
D000328:Adult; D003290:Convergence, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology*; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*