When larger visual distractors become less disruptive: Behavioral evidence for lateral inhibition in saccade generation

• DOI: 10.1167/12.4.2
• Publication Date: 2012-04-04T05:27:54Z
• Authors: C. Tandonnet; D. Massendari; F. Vitu
• Keywords: Superior colliculus; Lateral inhibition; Inhibition of return

How neuronal activity is integrated over time may largely rely on excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. Dynamic neural field models assume that local excitation lateral inhibition (i.e., the “Mexican hat”) shape output of networks. Most saccade generation such interactions in superior colliculus play a key role determining both metrics latency saccades. Here, we investigated humans. We used target task which visual distractor line was presented close to peripheral small circle). Models assuming predict beyond critical size larger distractors induce less perturbation than smaller ones. To assess this prediction, varied length distractor. Results confirmed along with deviated saccade's landing position away from target. This increased but only up as effect reversed for distractors, leading reduced metrics. These results suggest pattern wide enough involve inhibition, thereby decreasing distractor's weight spatial integration locations. They are consistent computation