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Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sommer, MA; Wurtz, RH
Published in: Journal of neurophysiology
April 2001

Many neurons within prefrontal cortex exhibit a tonic discharge between visual stimulation and motor response. This delay activity may contribute to movement, memory, and vision. We studied delay activity sent from the frontal eye field (FEF) in prefrontal cortex to the superior colliculus (SC). We evaluated whether this efferent delay activity was related to movement, memory, or vision, to establish its possible functions. Using antidromic stimulation, we identified 66 FEF neurons projecting to the SC and we recorded from them while monkeys performed a Go/Nogo task. Early in every trial, a monkey was instructed as to whether it would have to make a saccade (Go) or not (Nogo) to a target location, which permitted identification of delay activity related to movement. In half of the trials (memory trials), the target disappeared, which permitted identification of delay activity related to memory. In the remaining trials (visual trials), the target remained visible, which permitted identification of delay activity related to vision. We found that 77% (51/66) of the FEF output neurons had delay activity. In 53% (27/51) of these neurons, delay activity was modulated by Go/Nogo instructions. The modulation preceded saccades made into only part of the visual field, indicating that the modulation was movement-related. In some neurons, delay activity was modulated by Go/Nogo instructions in both memory and visual trials and seemed to represent where to move in general. In other neurons, delay activity was modulated by Go/Nogo instructions only in memory trials, which suggested that it was a correlate of working memory, or only in visual trials, which suggested that it was a correlate of visual attention. In 47% (24/51) of FEF output neurons, delay activity was unaffected by Go/Nogo instructions, which indicated that the activity was related to the visual stimulus. In some of these neurons, delay activity occurred in both memory and visual trials and seemed to represent a coordinate in visual space. In others, delay activity occurred only in memory trials and seemed to represent transient visual memory. In the remainder, delay activity occurred only in visual trials and seemed to be a tonic visual response. In conclusion, the FEF sends diverse delay activity signals related to movement, memory, and vision to the SC, where the signals may be used for saccade generation. Downstream transmission of various delay activity signals may be an important, general way in which the prefrontal cortex contributes to the control of movement.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of neurophysiology

DOI

EISSN

1522-1598

ISSN

0022-3077

Publication Date

April 2001

Volume

85

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1673 / 1685

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Fields
  • Time Factors
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Superior Colliculi
  • Saccades
  • Reaction Time
  • Prefrontal Cortex
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Neurons, Afferent
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
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Sommer, M. A., & Wurtz, R. H. (2001). Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus. Journal of Neurophysiology, 85(4), 1673–1685. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.2001.85.4.1673
Sommer, M. A., and R. H. Wurtz. “Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus.Journal of Neurophysiology 85, no. 4 (April 2001): 1673–85. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.2001.85.4.1673.
Sommer MA, Wurtz RH. Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus. Journal of neurophysiology. 2001 Apr;85(4):1673–85.
Sommer, M. A., and R. H. Wurtz. “Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus.Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 85, no. 4, Apr. 2001, pp. 1673–85. Epmc, doi:10.1152/jn.2001.85.4.1673.
Sommer MA, Wurtz RH. Frontal eye field sends delay activity related to movement, memory, and vision to the superior colliculus. Journal of neurophysiology. 2001 Apr;85(4):1673–1685.

Published In

Journal of neurophysiology

DOI

EISSN

1522-1598

ISSN

0022-3077

Publication Date

April 2001

Volume

85

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1673 / 1685

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Fields
  • Time Factors
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Superior Colliculi
  • Saccades
  • Reaction Time
  • Prefrontal Cortex
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Neurons, Afferent