Activity of neurons in the lateral intraparietal area of the monkey during an antisaccade task

Nat Neurosci. 1999 Oct;2(10):906-12. doi: 10.1038/13209.

Abstract

The close relationship between saccadic eye movements and vision complicates the identification of neural responses associated with each function. Visual and saccade-related responses are especially closely intertwined in a subdivision of posterior parietal cortex, the lateral parietal area (LIP). We analyzed LIP neurons using an antisaccade task in which monkeys made saccades away from a salient visual cue. The vast majority of neurons reliably signaled the location of the visual cue. In contrast, most neurons had only weak, if any, saccade-related activity independent of visual stimulation. Thus, whereas the great majority of LIP neurons reliably encoded cue location, only a small minority encoded the direction of the upcoming saccade.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cues
  • Linear Models
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Male
  • Memory / physiology
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Parietal Lobe / cytology
  • Parietal Lobe / physiology*
  • Saccades / physiology*