The parallel programming of voluntary and reflexive saccades

Walker, R. and McSorley, E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2054-879X (2006) The parallel programming of voluntary and reflexive saccades. Vision Research, 46 (13). pp. 2082-2093. ISSN 0042-6989 doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2005.12.009

Abstract/Summary

A novel two-step paradigm was used to investigate the parallel programming of consecutive, stimulus-elicited ('reflexive') and endogenous ('voluntary') saccades. The mean latency of voluntary saccades, made following the first reflexive saccades in two-step conditions, was significantly reduced compared to that of voluntary saccades made in the single-step control trials. The latency of the first reflexive saccades was modulated by the requirement to make a second saccade: first saccade latency increased when a second voluntary saccade was required in the opposite direction to the first saccade, and decreased when a second saccade was required in the same direction as the first reflexive saccade. A second experiment confirmed the basic effect and also showed that a second reflexive saccade may be programmed in parallel with a first voluntary saccade. The results support the view that voluntary and reflexive saccades can be programmed in parallel on a common motor map. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.