Contrasting neuronal activity in the supplementary and frontal eye fields during temporal organization of multiple saccades. 2003

Masaki Isoda, and Jun Tanji
Department of Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.

The organization of a series of actions into an appropriate temporal order is of particular importance in the voluntary control of motor behavior. Previous reports have emphasized the importance of medial motor areas for the temporal organization of movements. The aim of this study was to compare the neuronal activity in the supplementary and frontal eye fields (SEF and FEF) during sequential performance of multiple saccades to clarify the role of the two cortical oculomotor areas in the temporal organization of saccades based on memorized information. We analyzed neuronal activity while monkeys performed three saccades to peripheral targets in orders that were instructed and memorized. We found that activity that reflected saccade sequence or the numerical position of a saccade within a sequence (rank) was more prevalent in the SEF, whereas activity reflecting saccade direction was more dominant in the FEF. Furthermore, a sizeable number of SEF neurons exhibited an increase in activity when the animals were required to discard a current sequence and compose a novel sequence. We propose that the SEF is primarily involved in the process of planning, decoding, and updating saccade sequences, whereas the FEF plays a major role in determining the direction of forthcoming saccades.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008251 Macaca A genus of the subfamily CERCOPITHECINAE, family CERCOPITHECIDAE, consisting of 16 species inhabiting forests of Africa, Asia, and the islands of Borneo, Philippines, and Celebes. Ape, Barbary,Ape, Black,Ape, Celebes,Barbary Ape,Black Ape,Celebes Ape,Macaque,Apes, Barbary,Apes, Black,Apes, Celebes,Barbary Apes,Black Apes,Celebes Apes,Macacas,Macaques
D008297 Male Males
D009474 Neurons The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM. Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D010775 Photic Stimulation Investigative technique commonly used during ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY in which a series of bright light flashes or visual patterns are used to elicit brain activity. Stimulation, Photic,Visual Stimulation,Photic Stimulations,Stimulation, Visual,Stimulations, Photic,Stimulations, Visual,Visual Stimulations
D002540 Cerebral Cortex The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions. Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012438 Saccades An abrupt voluntary shift in ocular fixation from one point to another, as occurs in reading. Pursuit, Saccadic,Saccadic Eye Movements,Eye Movement, Saccadic,Eye Movements, Saccadic,Movement, Saccadic Eye,Movements, Saccadic Eye,Pursuits, Saccadic,Saccade,Saccadic Eye Movement,Saccadic Pursuit,Saccadic Pursuits
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014794 Visual Fields The total area or space visible in a person's peripheral vision with the eye looking straightforward. Field, Visual,Fields, Visual,Visual Field

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