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Dynamic Modulation of Ocular Orientation during Visually Guided Saccades and Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements
aDepartment of Neurology, Zürich University Hospital, Switzerland bDepartment of Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Address for correspondence: Bernhard J.M. Hess, Department of Neurology, Zurich University Hospital, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, CH-8091, Zürich, Switzerland. Voice: (+411) 255-5500; fax: (+411) 255-4507. bhess{at}neurol.unizh.ch Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1004: 132-141 (2003).
Rotational disturbances of the head about an off-vertical yaw axis induce a complex vestibuloocular reflex pattern that reflects the brain's estimate of head angular velocity as well as its estimate of instantaneous head orientation (at a reduced scale) in space coordinates. We show that semicircular canal and otolith inputs modulate torsional and, to a certain extent, also vertical ocular orientation of visually guided saccades and smooth-pursuit eye movements in a similar manner as during off-vertical axis rotations in complete darkness. It is suggested that this graviceptive control of eye orientation facilitates rapid visual spatial orientation during motion.
Key Words: eye movements • vestibular • vestibuloocular • Listing's plane • oculomotor • monkey • counterroll
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