The location probability effects of saccade reaction times are modulated in the frontal eye fields but not in the supplementary eye field
Journal
Cerebral Cortex
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
6
Start Page
1416
End Page
1425
Date Issued
2011-06-01
Author(s)
Liu, Chia-Lun
Chiau, Hui-Yen
Liang, Wei-Kuang
Hung, Daisy L.
Tzeng, Ovid J. L.
Muggleton, Neil G.
Juan, Chi-Hung
DOI
10.1093/cercor/bhq222
Abstract
The visual system constantly utilizes regularities that are embedded in the environment and by doing so reduces the computational burden of processing visual information. Recent findings have demonstrated that probabilistic information can override attentional effects, such as the cost of making an eye movement away from a visual target (antisaccade cost). The neural substrates of such probability effects have been associated with activity in the superior colliculus (SC). Given the immense reciprocal connections to SC, it is plausible that this modulation originates from higher oculomotor regions, such as the frontal eye field (FEF) and the supplementary eye field (SEF). To test this possibility, the present study employed theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to selectively interfere with FEF and SEF activity. We found that TMS disrupted the effect of location probability when TMS was applied over FEF. This was not observed in the SEF TMS condition. Together, these 2 experiments suggest that the FEF plays a critical role not only in initiating saccades but also in modulating the effects of location probability on saccade production.
Subjects
FEF
location probability
saccadic reaction time
theta burst TMS
Type
journal article