Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol 39, Issue 4 722-744, Copyright © 1976 by APS

ARTICLES

Organization of monkey superior colliculus: intermediate layer cells discharging before eye movements

C. W. Mohler and R. H. Wurtz

1. We investigated the characteristics of cells in the intermediate layers of the superior colliculus that increase their rate of discharge before saccadic eye movements. Eye movements were repeatedly elicited by training rhesus monkeys to fixate on a spot of light and to make saccades to other spots of light when the fixation spot was turned off. 2. The eye movement cells showed consistent variations with their depth within the colliculus. The onset of the cell discharge led the eye movement by less time and the duration of the discharge was shorter as the cell was located closer to the dorsal edge of the intermediate layers. The movements fields (that area of the visual field where a saccade into the area is preceded by a burst of cell discharges) of each successive cell also became smaller as the cells were located more dorsally. The profile of peak discharge frequency remained fairly flat throughout the movement field of the cells regardless of depth of the cell within the colliculus. 3. A new type of eye movement-related cell has been found which usually lies at the border between the superficial and intermediate layers. This cell type, the visually triggered movement cell, increased its rate of discharge before saccades made to a visual stimulus but not before spontaneous saccades of equal amplitude made in the light or the dark. A vigorous discharge of these cells before an eye movement was dependent on the presence of a visual target; the cells seemed to combine the visual input of superficial layer cells and the movement-related input of the intermediate layer cells. The size of the movement fields of these cells were about the same size as the visual fields of superficial layer cells just above them...

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Rezvani and B. D. Corneil Recruitment of a Head-Turning Synergy by Low-Frequency Activity in the Primate Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2008; 100(1): 397 - 411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Nakahara, K. Morita, R. H. Wurtz, and L. M. Optican Saccade-Related Spread of Activity Across Superior Colliculus May Arise From Asymmetry of Internal Connections J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2006; 96(2): 765 - 774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. K. Rodgers, D. P. Munoz, S. H. Scott, and M. Pare Discharge Properties of Monkey Tectoreticular Neurons J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2006; 95(6): 3502 - 3511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N.S.C. Price, M. R. Ibbotson, S. Ono, and M. J. Mustari Rapid Processing of Retinal Slip During Saccades in Macaque Area MT J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2005; 94(1): 235 - 246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Helms, G. Ozen, and W. C. Hall Organization of the Intermediate Gray Layer of the Superior Colliculus. I. Intrinsic Vertical Connections J Neurophysiol, April 1, 2004; 91(4): 1706 - 1715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Ratcliff, A. Cherian, and M. Segraves A Comparison of Macaque Behavior and Superior Colliculus Neuronal Activity to Predictions From Models of Two-Choice Decisions J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2003; 90(3): 1392 - 1407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Edelman and M. E. Goldberg Saccade-Related Activity in the Primate Superior Colliculus Depends on the Presence of Local Landmarks at the Saccade Endpoint J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2003; 90(3): 1728 - 1736. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. G. Walton and L. E. Mays Discharge of Saccade-Related Superior Colliculus Neurons During Saccades Accompanied by Vergence J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2003; 90(2): 1124 - 1139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. O. Helminski and M. A. Segraves Macaque Frontal Eye Field Input to Saccade-Related Neurons in the Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2003; 90(2): 1046 - 1062. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. P. Doubell, I. Skaliora, J. Baron, and A. J. King Functional Connectivity between the Superficial and Deeper Layers of the Superior Colliculus: An Anatomical Substrate for Sensorimotor Integration J. Neurosci., July 23, 2003; 23(16): 6596 - 6607. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Edelman and M. E. Goldberg Dependence of Saccade-Related Activity in the Primate Superior Colliculus on Visual Target Presence J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2001; 86(2): 676 - 691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Pare and R. H. Wurtz Progression in Neuronal Processing for Saccadic Eye Movements From Parietal Cortex Area LIP to Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2001; 85(6): 2545 - 2562. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Sommer and R. H. Wurtz Frontal Eye Field Sends Delay Activity Related to Movement, Memory, and Vision to the Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, April 1, 2001; 85(4): 1673 - 1685. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Krauzlis, M. A. Basso, and R. H. Wurtz Discharge Properties of Neurons in the Rostral Superior Colliculus of the Monkey During Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements J Neurophysiol, August 1, 2000; 84(2): 876 - 891. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Everling, M. C. Dorris, R. M. Klein, and D. P. Munoz Role of Primate Superior Colliculus in Preparation and Execution of Anti-Saccades and Pro-Saccades J. Neurosci., April 1, 1999; 19(7): 2740 - 2754. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Taylor, R. M. Klein, and D. P. Munoz Saccadic Performance as a Function of the Presence and Disappearance of Auditory and Visual Fixation Stimuli J. Cogn. Neurosci., March 1, 1999; 11(2): 206 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. A. Edelman and E. L. Keller Dependence on Target Configuration of Express Saccade-Related Activity in the Primate Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, September 1, 1998; 80(3): 1407 - 1426. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Dorris and D. P. Munoz Saccadic Probability Influences Motor Preparation Signals and Time to Saccadic Initiation J. Neurosci., September 1, 1998; 18(17): 7015 - 7026. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Aizawa and R. H. Wurtz Reversible Inactivation of Monkey Superior Colliculus. I. Curvature of Saccadic Trajectory J Neurophysiol, April 1, 1998; 79(4): 2082 - 2096. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. P. Munoz and P. J. Istvan Lateral Inhibitory Interactions in the Intermediate Layers of the Monkey Superior Colliculus J Neurophysiol, March 1, 1998; 79(3): 1193 - 1209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. H. Lee, M. C. Helms, G. J. Augustine, and W. C. Hall Role of intrinsic synaptic circuitry in collicular sensorimotor integration PNAS, November 25, 1997; 94(24): 13299 - 13304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.L. Colby The Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology of Attention J Child Neurol, January 1, 1991; 6(1_suppl): S90 - S118. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Wise and R Desimone Behavioral neurophysiology: insights into seeing and grasping Science, November 4, 1988; 242(4879): 736 - 741. [Abstract] [PDF]