Memory and decision making in the frontal cortex during visual motion processing for smooth pursuit eye movements.
Cortical motor areas are thought to contribute "higher-order processing," but what that processing might include is unknown. Previous studies of the smooth pursuit-related discharge of supplementary eye field (SEF) neurons have not distinguished activity associated with the preparation for pursuit from discharge related to processing or memory of the target motion signals. Using a memory-based task designed to separate these components, we show that the SEF contains signals coding retinal image-slip-velocity, memory, and assessment of visual motion direction, the decision of whether to pursue, and the preparation for pursuit eye movements. Bilateral muscimol injection into SEF resulted in directional errors in smooth pursuit, errors of whether to pursue, and impairment of initial correct eye movements. These results suggest an important role for the SEF in memory and assessment of visual motion direction and the programming of appropriate pursuit eye movements.
Shichinohe
Natsuko
N
Department of Physiology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Akao
Teppei
T
Kurkin
Sergei
S
Fukushima
Junko
J
Kaneko
Chris R S
CR
Fukushima
Kikuro
K
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011698:Pursuit, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D018910:Video Games
D018755:GABA Agonists; D009118:Muscimol