Reward Action in the Initiation of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4676-11.2012
• Publication Date: 2012-02-22T17:51:40Z
• Authors: Mati Joshua; Stephen G. Lisberger
• Keywords: Smooth pursuit; Motor Control

Reward has a powerful influence on motor behavior. To probe how and where reward systems alter behavior, we studied smooth pursuit eye movements in monkeys trained to associate the color of visual cue with size be issued at end target motion. When tracking task presented two different colored targets that moved orthogonally, biased initiation toward direction motion led larger reward. The bias was than expected given modest effects single targets. Experiments three sizes suggested afforded depends mainly analyze effect directional learning pursuit, tracked moving changed 250 ms after onset Expectation learned movement during acquisition response subsequent probes what had been learned, implying influenced expression rather learning. specific two-target stimuli imply site modulation is level multiple motions compete for control movement, downstream from sensory processing upstream final processing.