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Caldani S, Humeau E, Delorme R, Bucci MP. Inhibition functions can be improved in children with autism spectrum disorders: An eye-tracking study. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:431-441. [PMID: 37218472 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive remediation therapy interventions could improve cognitive functioning in subjects with autism. To investigate the benefit of a short cognitive training rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on pursuit and fixation performances. We recruited two groups (G1 and G2) of 30 children with ASD, sex-, IQ- and age-matched (mean 11.6 ± 0.5 years), and pursuit and fixation eye movements were recorded twice at T1 and T2. Between T1 and T2, a 10-min cognitive training was performed by the G1 group only, whereas the G2 group had a 10-min of rest. For all children with ASD enrolled in the study, there was a positive correlation between restricted and repetitive behaviour scores of both Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the number of saccades recorded during the fixation task at T1. At T1, oculomotor performances were similar for both groups of ASD children (G1 and G2). At T2, we observed a significant reduction in the number of saccades made during both pursuit and fixation tasks. Our findings underlined the importance to promote cognitive training rehabilitation for children with ASD, leading to a better performance in inhibitory and attention functioning responsible for pursuit and fixation eye movement's performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Elise Humeau
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Fondation, Paris, France
- Paris University, Paris, France
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS, Paris Nanterre University, Nanterre, France
- EFEE-Center for the Functional Exploration of Balance in Children, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
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Piette C, Vandecasteele M, Bosch-Bouju C, Goubard V, Paillé V, Cui Y, Mendes A, Perez S, Valtcheva S, Xu H, Pouget P, Venance L. Intracellular Properties of Deep-Layer Pyramidal Neurons in Frontal Eye Field of Macaque Monkeys. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:725880. [PMID: 34621162 PMCID: PMC8490863 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.725880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although many details remain unknown, several positive statements can be made about the laminar distribution of primate frontal eye field (FEF) neurons with different physiological properties. Most certainly, pyramidal neurons in the deep layer of FEF that project to the brainstem carry movement and fixation signals but clear evidence also support that at least some deep-layer pyramidal neurons projecting to the superior colliculus carry visual responses. Thus, deep-layer neurons in FEF are functionally heterogeneous. Despite the useful functional distinctions between neuronal responses in vivo, the underlying existence of distinct cell types remain uncertain, mostly due to methodological limitations of extracellular recordings in awake behaving primates. To substantiate the functionally defined cell types encountered in the deep layer of FEF, we measured the biophysical properties of pyramidal neurons recorded intracellularly in brain slices issued from macaque monkey biopsies. Here, we found that biophysical properties recorded in vitro permit us to distinguish two main subtypes of regular-spiking neurons, with, respectively, low-resistance and low excitability vs. high-resistance and strong excitability. These results provide useful constraints for cognitive models of visual attention and saccade production by indicating that at least two distinct populations of deep-layer neurons exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Piette
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Marie Vandecasteele
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Clémentine Bosch-Bouju
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Goubard
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Paillé
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Yihui Cui
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Mendes
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Perez
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Silvana Valtcheva
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Hao Xu
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Pouget
- INSERM, CNRS, Institut du Cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Venance
- Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, PSL University, Paris, France
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Caldani S, Delorme R, Moscoso A, Septier M, Acquaviva E, Bucci MP. Improvement of Pursuit Eye Movement Alterations after Short Visuo-Attentional Training in ADHD. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110816. [PMID: 33158057 PMCID: PMC7694101 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder without validated and objective diagnostic procedures. Several neurological dysfunctions in the frontal circuit, in the thalamus, and in the cerebellum have been observed in subjects with ADHD. These cortical and subcortical areas are responsible for eye movement control. Therefore, studying eye movements could be a useful tool to better understand neuronal alterations in subjects with ADHD. The aim of the present study was firstly to compare the quality of pursuit eye movements in a group of 40 children with ADHD (age 8.2 ± 1.2) and in a group of 40 sex-, IQ-, age-matched typically developing (TD) children; secondly, we aimed to examine if a short visuo-attentional training could affect pursuit performances in children with ADHD. Findings showed that children with ADHD presented a greater number of catch-up saccade and lower pursuit gain compared to TD children. Differently to TD children, in children with ADHD, the number of catch-up saccades and the pursuit gain were not significantly correlated with children's age. Furthermore, a short visuo-attentional training period can only slightly improve pursuit performance in children with ADHD, leading to a decrease of the occurrence of catch-up saccades only, albeit the effect size was small. The absence of any improvement in pursuit performance with age could be explained by the fact that the prefrontal and fronto-cerebellar circuits responsible for pursuit triggering are still immature. Pursuit eye movements can be used as a useful tool for ADHD diagnosis. However, attentional mechanisms controlled by these cortical structures could be improved by a short visuo-attentional training period. Further studies will be necessary to explore the effects of a longer visuo-attentional training period on oculomotor tasks in order to clarify how adaptive mechanisms are able to increase the attentional capabilities in children with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS Université Paris Nanterre, 92001 Nanterre, France;
- Pediatric Balance Evaluation Center (EFEE), ENT Department, AP-HP, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Richard Delorme
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France; (R.D.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
- Paris 7, Paris Diderot University, 75013 Paris, France
- Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Ana Moscoso
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France; (R.D.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Mathilde Septier
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France; (R.D.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Eric Acquaviva
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France; (R.D.); (A.M.); (M.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- MoDyCo, UMR 7114 CNRS Université Paris Nanterre, 92001 Nanterre, France;
- Pediatric Balance Evaluation Center (EFEE), ENT Department, AP-HP, Robert Debré Hospital, 75019 Paris, France
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Izawa Y, Suzuki H. Suppressive control of optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus by the primate frontal eye field. J Neurophysiol 2020; 124:691-702. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00015.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, electrical stimulation in the frontal eye field (FEF) suppressed the quick and slow phases of optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus at an intensity subthreshold for eliciting saccades. Furthermore, the activity of fixation neurons in the FEF was related to the suppression of optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus by visual fixation. This suggests that a common neuronal assembly in the FEF may contribute to the suppressive control of different functional classes of eye movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiko Izawa
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hisao Suzuki
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Abstract
Opsoclonus/flutter (O/F) is a rare disorder of the saccadic system. Previously, we modeled O/F that developed in a patient following abuse of anabolic steroids. That model, as in all models of the saccadic system, generates commands to make a change in eye position. Recently, we saw a patient who developed a unique form of opsoclonus following a concussion. The patient had postsaccadic ocular flutter in both directions of gaze, and opsoclonus during fixation and pursuit in the left hemifield. A new model of the saccadic system is needed to account for this gaze-position dependent O/F. We started with our prior model, which contains two key elements, mutual inhibition between inhibitory burst neurons on both sides and a prolonged reactivation time of the omnipause neurons (OPNs). We included new inputs to the OPNs from the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi and the frontal eye fields, which contain position-dependent neurons. This provides a mechanism for delaying OPN reactivation, and creating a gaze-position dependence. A simplified pursuit system was also added, the output of which inhibits the OPNs, providing a mechanism for gaze-dependence during pursuit. The rest of the model continues to generate a command to change eye position.
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Lowe KA, Schall JD. Functional Categories of Visuomotor Neurons in Macaque Frontal Eye Field. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO.0131-18.2018. [PMID: 30406195 PMCID: PMC6220589 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0131-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontal eye field (FEF) in macaque monkeys contributes to visual attention, visual-motor transformations and production of eye movements. Traditionally, neurons in FEF have been classified by the magnitude of increased discharge rates following visual stimulus presentation, during a waiting period, and associated with eye movement production. However, considerable heterogeneity remains within the traditional visual, visuomovement, and movement categories. Cluster analysis is a data-driven method of identifying self-segregating groups within a dataset. Because many cluster analysis techniques exist and outcomes vary with analysis assumptions, consensus clustering aggregates over multiple analyses, identifying robust groups. To describe more comprehensively the neuronal composition of FEF, we applied a consensus clustering technique for unsupervised categorization of patterns of spike rate modulation measured during a memory-guided saccade task. We report 10 functional categories, expanding on the traditional 3 categories. Categories were distinguished by latency, magnitude, and sign of visual response; the presence of sustained activity; and the dynamics, magnitude and sign of saccade-related modulation. Consensus clustering can include other metrics and can be applied to datasets from other brain regions to provide better information guiding microcircuit models of cortical function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleb A Lowe
- Department of Psychology, Center for Integrative and Cognitive Neuroscience, Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240
| | - Jeffrey D Schall
- Department of Psychology, Center for Integrative and Cognitive Neuroscience, Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240
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Izawa Y, Suzuki H. Motor action of the frontal eye field on the eyes and neck in the monkey. J Neurophysiol 2018. [PMID: 29513149 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00577.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal stimulation in the frontal eye field (FEF) evoked eye movements that were often accompanied by neck movements. Experiments were performed with concurrent recording of both movements in trained monkeys. We recorded neck forces under a head-restrained condition with a force-measuring system. With the system, we measured forces along the x-, y-, and z-axes and torque about the z-axis. Torque about the z-axis that represented yaw rotation of the head was significantly affected by stimulation. We found that stimulation generated two types of motor actions of the eyes and neck. In the first type, contraversive neck forces were evoked by stimulation of the medial part of the FEF, where contraversive saccadic eye movements with large amplitudes were evoked. When the stimulus intensity was increased, saccades were evoked in an all-or-none manner, whereas the amplitude of neck forces increased gradually. In the second type, contraversive neck forces were evoked by stimulation of the medial and caudal part of the FEF, where ipsiversive slow eye movements were evoked. The depth profiles of amplitudes of neck forces were almost parallel to those of eye movements in individual stimulation tracks. The present results suggest that the FEF is involved in the control of motor actions of the neck as well as the eyes. The FEF area associated with contraversive saccades and contraversive neck movements may contribute to a gaze shift process, whereas that associated with ipsiversive slow eye movements and contraversive neck movements may contribute to a visual stabilization process. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Focal stimulation in the frontal eye field (FEF) evoked eye and neck movements. We recorded neck forces under a head-restrained condition with a force-measuring system. Taking advantage of this approach, we could analyze slow eye movements that were dissociated from the vestibuloocular reflex. We found ipsiversive slow eye movements in combination with contraversive neck forces, suggesting that the FEF may be a source of a corollary discharge signal for compensatory eye movements during voluntary neck movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiko Izawa
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo , Japan
| | - Hisao Suzuki
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo , Japan
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Caldani S, Amado I, Bendjemaa N, Vialatte F, Mam-Lam-Fook C, Gaillard R, Krebs MO, Pia Bucci M. Oculomotricity and Neurological Soft Signs: Can we refine the endophenotype? A study in subjects belonging to the spectrum of schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res 2017; 256:490-497. [PMID: 28759882 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in eye tracking and motor impairments as well as Neurological Soft Signs (NSS) are frequently reported in patients with schizophrenia as well as in their relatives, and are proposed as endophenotype of the disease. This study investigated smooth pursuit eye movement and fixation task with distractors with a gap condition, two markers of inhibitory control mechanism, in 49 patients with schizophrenia, 24 ultra-high risk subjects, 41 full biological clinical siblings of patients and 48 controls. NSS were assessed as a marker of abnormal neurodevelopment. The results revealed more intrusive saccades respectively in smooth pursuit eye movement and in fixation task with distractors with a gap condition in patients, respect to controls and full siblings. Ultra high-risk participants with high NSS committed intrusive saccades compared to controls. Patients with schizophrenia with high NSS also displayed more of these abnormalities, compared to patients with schizophrenia with low NSS and controls. These findings highlight a global inhibitory control defect, and suggested that ultra-high risk subjects and patients with schizophrenia could share oculomotor abnormalities, especially when they express a high neurodevelopmental deviance. These oculomotor alterations might suggest that cerebral structures such as prefrontal and cerebellum could be involved in the expression of this vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; UMR 1141 Inserm - Université Paris Diderot, Hôpital Robert Debré, 75019 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Amado
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire, Paris, France
| | - Narjes Bendjemaa
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France
| | - François Vialatte
- UMR 8249 CNRS Laboratoire Plasticité du Cerveau, Paris 75005, France
| | - Célia Mam-Lam-Fook
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire, Paris, France
| | - Raphael Gaillard
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Odile Krebs
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, UMR S 894, Physiopathologie des Maladies Psychiatriques, CNRS, GDR3557-Institut de Psychiatrie, Paris, France; Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire, Paris, France.
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- UMR 1141 Inserm - Université Paris Diderot, Hôpital Robert Debré, 75019 Paris, France
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Zhou X, Constantinidis C. Fixation target representation in prefrontal cortex during the antisaccade task. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:2152-2162. [PMID: 28228585 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00908.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons that discharge strongly during the time period of fixation of a visual target and cease to discharge before saccade initiation have been described in the brain stem, superior colliculus, and cortical areas. In subcortical structures, fixation neurons play a reciprocal role with saccadic neurons during the generation of eye movements. Their role in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is less obvious, and it is not known if they are activated by fixation, inhibit saccade generation, or play a role in more complex functions such as the inhibition of inappropriate responses. We examined the properties of prefrontal fixation neurons in the context of an antisaccade task, which requires an eye movement directed away from a prepotent visual stimulus. We tested monkeys with variants of the task, allowing us to dissociate activity synchronized on the fixation offset, presentation of the visual stimulus, and saccadic onset. Fixation neuron activity latency was most strongly tied to the offset of the fixation point across task variants. It was not well predicted by the appearance of the visual stimulus, which is essential for planning of the correct eye movement and inhibiting inappropriate ones. Activity of fixation neurons was generally negatively correlated with that of saccade neurons; however, critical differences in timing make it unlikely that they provide precisely timed signals for the generation of eye movements. These results demonstrate the role of fixation neurons in the prefrontal cortex during tasks requiring timing of appropriate eye movement and inhibition of inappropriate actions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Properties of neurons that discharge during eye fixation and go silent before saccade initiation have been described in subcortical structures involved in eye movement generation, but their role in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex presents a puzzle. Our results demonstrate the role of fixation neurons in the prefrontal cortex during tasks requiring precise timing of appropriate eye movement and inhibition of inappropriate actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhou
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California; and.,Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Christos Constantinidis
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Godlove DC, Schall JD. Microsaccade production during saccade cancelation in a stop-signal task. Vision Res 2016; 118:5-16. [PMID: 25448116 PMCID: PMC4422788 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2014.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Revised: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We obtained behavioral data to evaluate two alternative hypotheses about the neural mechanisms of gaze control. The "fixation" hypothesis states that neurons in rostral superior colliculus (SC) enforce fixation of gaze. The "microsaccade" hypothesis states that neurons in rostral SC encode microsaccades rather than fixation per se. Previously reported neuronal activity in monkey SC during the saccade stop-signal task leads to specific, dissociable behavioral predictions of these two hypotheses. When subjects are required to cancel partially-prepared saccades, imbalanced activity spreads across rostral and caudal SC with a reliable temporal profile. The microsaccade hypothesis predicts that this imbalance will lead to elevated microsaccade production biased toward the target location, while the fixation hypothesis predicts reduced microsaccade production. We tested these predictions by analyzing the microsaccades produced by 4 monkeys while they voluntarily canceled partially prepared eye movements in response to explicit stop signals. Consistent with the fixation hypothesis and contradicting the microsaccade hypothesis, we found that each subject produced significantly fewer microsaccades when normal saccades were successfully canceled. The few microsaccades escaping this inhibition tended to be directed toward the target location. We additionally investigated interactions between initiating microsaccades and inhibiting normal saccades. Reaction times were longer when microsaccades immediately preceded target presentation. However, pre-target microsaccade production did not affect stop-signal reaction time or alter the probability of canceling saccades following stop signals. These findings demonstrate that imbalanced activity within SC does not necessarily produce microsaccades and add to evidence that saccade preparation and cancelation are separate processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Godlove
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Center for Integrative & Cognitive Neuroscience, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Schall
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt Vision Research Center, Center for Integrative & Cognitive Neuroscience, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
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11
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Pouget P. The cortex is in overall control of 'voluntary' eye movement. Eye (Lond) 2014; 29:241-5. [PMID: 25475239 DOI: 10.1038/eye.2014.284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural circuits that control eye movements are complex and distributed in brainstem, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and multiple areas of cortex. The anatomical function of the substrates implicated in eye movements has been studied for decades in numerous countries, laboratories, and clinics. The modest goal of this brief review is twofold. (1) To present a focused overview of the knowledge about the role of the cerebral cortex in voluntary control of eye movements. (2) To very briefly mention two findings showing that the accepted hierarchy between the frontal and the occipital sensory areas involved in sensory-motor transformation might not be so trivial to reconcile, and to interpret in the context of eye movement command. This presentation has been part of the 44th Cambridge Ophthalmological Symposium, on ocular motility, 3 September 2014 to 5 November 2014.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pouget
- 1] CNRS 7225, Paris, France [2] ICM, Paris, France [3] Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
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