Reafferent head-movement signals carried by pursuit neurons of the simian frontal eye fields during head movements

Kikuro Fukushima*, Satoshi Kasahara, Teppei Akao, Hiroshi Saito, Sergei Kurkin, Junko Fukushima, Barry W. Peterson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The smooth-pursuit system is important to precisely track a slowly moving object and maintain its image on the foveae during movement. During whole-body rotation, the smooth-pursuit system interacts with the vestibular system. The caudal part of the frontal eye fields (FEF) contains smooth pursuit-related neurons that signal eye velocity during pursuit. The majority of them receives vestibular inputs and signal gaze-velocity during passive whole-body rotation. It was asked whether discharge modulation of FEF pursuit neurons during head rotation on the stationary trunk could be accounted for by vestibular inputs only or if both vestibular and neck proprioceptive inputs contributed to the modulation. Discharge modulation during active head pursuit, passive head rotation on the stationary trunk, passive whole-body rotation, and passive trunk rotation against the stationary head were compared. The results indicate that both vestibular and neck proprioceptive inputs contributed to the discharge modulation of FEF pursuit neurons during head movements.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationBasic and Clinical Aspects of Vertigo and Dizziness
PublisherBlackwell Publishing Inc.
Pages194-200
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)9781573317177
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2009

Publication series

NameAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Volume1164
ISSN (Print)0077-8923
ISSN (Electronic)1749-6632

Keywords

  • Frontal eye fields
  • Head movements
  • Neck proprioceptive afferents
  • Reafferent
  • Smooth pursuit
  • Vestibular

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuroscience(all)
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
  • History and Philosophy of Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Reafferent head-movement signals carried by pursuit neurons of the simian frontal eye fields during head movements'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this