Blink Perturbation Effects on Saccades Evoked by Microstimulation of the Superior Colliculus

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051843
• Publication Date: 2012-12-14T17:17:25Z
• Authors: Husam A. Katnani; A. J. Van Opstal; Neeraj J. Gandhi
• Keywords: Superior colliculus; Microstimulation

Current knowledge of saccade-blink interactions suggests that blinks have paradoxical effects on saccade generation. Blinks suppress generation by attenuating the oculomotor drive command in structures like superior colliculus (SC), but they also disinhibit saccadic system removing potent inhibition pontine omnipause neurons (OPNs). To better characterize these effects, we evoked trigeminal blink reflex delivering an air puff to one eye as saccades were sub-optimal stimulation SC. For every site, peak and average velocities with movements (SwBMs) lower than stimulation-only (SoMs), supporting notion is weakened presence a blink. In contrast, duration SwBMs was longer, consistent hypothesis blink-induced OPNs could prolong window time available for commands movement. The amplitude SwBM be larger SoM obtained from same particularly cases which blink-associated exhibited slowest kinematics. results are interpreted terms neural signatures interactions.