Investigation of cue-based vertical and horizontal eye movements with electroencephalographic and eye-tracking data.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the influence of eye movement direction on patterns of brain activation.


METHODS
The processing of visual input was investigated by quantifying event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the electroencephalogram (EEG). Cue-based vertical and horizontal eye movements were measured with an eye tracker. Differences between vertical and horizontal eye movements in EEG and eye-tracking data were analyzed.


RESULTS
The results of this study indicate that vertical and horizontal eye movements result in different ERD and ERS patterns. During the execution of a saccade vertical eye movements are accompanied by a stronger ERS whereas the fixation of the cue is related to stronger ERD after horizontal eye movements.


CONCLUSIONS
The fact that eye movements are correlated with a desynchronization of activity in parietal and occipital areas is reasonable, since visual information processing and visual control of movements take place there. Stronger ERD in the alpha band could be related to the fact that information processing tasks like e.g. reading require mostly horizontal and not vertical eye movements.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences in the ERD/ERS patterns in relation to the direction of the eye movement should be considered in future investigations and taken into account in the construction of paradigms.
Kaiser
Vera
V
Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria. Electronic address: vera.kaiser@tugraz.at.
Brunner
Clemens
C
Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Leeb
Robert
R
Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Neuper
Christa
C
Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria; Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/III, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Pfurtscheller
Gert
G
Institute for Knowledge Discovery, Graz University of Technology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria.
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult