Krauzlis Lab Projects

Overview

Distinct sensory and motor functions are localized in different regions of the brain. This modular organization poses a problem: How does the brain orchestrate these diverse sources of information and multiple motor outputs to produce coordinated actions? Voluntary eye movements such as saccades and smooth pursuit provide one of the best opportunities to address this question, because they can be performed easily and measured precisely, but nonetheless involve many of the same sensory, cognitive, and motor processing steps that underlie more complex behaviors. In studies with humans and monkeys, we have made observations that challenge the traditional view of saccades and pursuit as distinct motor systems. By identifying the role of shared functions related to attention, perception, and decision-making, this work has begun to open the black box that links sensory processing to motor control.

Overall, our research provides a new perspective on the processing steps responsible for gating and executing voluntary eye movements. Although pursuit and saccades are typically described as two distinct neural systems, it is probably more accurate to consider the two movements as different outcomes from a shared cascade of sensory-motor functions (Krauzlis, 2004, 2005). Within this cascade, the superior colliculus (SC) appears to occupy a mid-level management position – it may not be directly involved in higher-order functions such as perception and cognition, but it is important for applying those and other sources of information to the process of deciding where to look next (Krauzlis, Liston and Carello, 2004). This mid-level position may be a crucial checkpoint in the interaction between perception and action – sensory and cognitive processing can evaluate the possible goals, and motor processing can determine the best response, but an intermediate stage may be needed to properly link our actions to our interpretations.

References

Krauzlis, R.J. Recasting the smooth pursuit eye movement system. J. Neurophysiol., 91: 591-603, 2004. PDF

Krauzlis, R.J. The control of voluntary eye movements: New perspectives. The Neuroscientist, 11: 124-137, 2005. PDF

Krauzlis, R.J., Liston, D., Carello, C., Target selection and the superior colliculus: goals, choices and hypotheses, Vision Res., 44: 1445-1451, 2004. PDF

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	Overview Distinct sensory and motor functions are localized in different regions of the brain. This modular organization poses a problem: How does the brain orchestrate these diverse sources of information and multiple motor outputs to produce coordinated actions? Voluntary eye movements such as saccades and smooth pursuit provide one of the best opportunities to address this question, because they can be performed easily and measured precisely, but nonetheless involve many of the same sensory, cognitive, and motor processing steps that underlie more complex behaviors. In studies with humans and monkeys, we have made observations that challenge the traditional view of saccades and pursuit as distinct motor systems. By identifying the role of shared functions related to attention, perception, and decision-making, this work has begun to open the black box that links sensory processing to motor control. Overall, our research provides a new perspective on the processing steps responsible for gating and executing voluntary eye movements. Although pursuit and saccades are typically described as two distinct neural systems, it is probably more accurate to consider the two movements as different outcomes from a shared cascade of sensory-motor functions (Krauzlis, 2004, 2005). Within this cascade, the superior colliculus (SC) appears to occupy a mid-level management position – it may not be directly involved in higher-order functions such as perception and cognition, but it is important for applying those and other sources of information to the process of deciding where to look next (Krauzlis, Liston and Carello, 2004). This mid-level position may be a crucial checkpoint in the interaction between perception and action – sensory and cognitive processing can evaluate the possible goals, and motor processing can determine the best response, but an intermediate stage may be needed to properly link our actions to our interpretations. References Krauzlis, R.J. Recasting the smooth pursuit eye movement system. J. Neurophysiol., 91: 591-603, 2004. PDF Krauzlis, R.J. The control of voluntary eye movements: New perspectives. The Neuroscientist, 11: 124-137, 2005. PDF Krauzlis, R.J., Liston, D., Carello, C., Target selection and the superior colliculus: goals, choices and hypotheses, Vision Res., 44: 1445-1451, 2004. PDF
Overview Projects People Publications Resources Home
Site created by Perspective Internet Consulting