Hermens, F., Zanker, J.M. and Walker, R. (2010) Microsaccades and preparatory set: a comparison between delayed and immediate, exogenous and endogenous pro- and anti-saccades. Experimental Brain Research, 201 (3).
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When we Wxate an object, our eyes are not entirely still, but undergo small displacements such as microsaccades. Here, we investigate whether these micro- saccades are sensitive to the preparatory processes involved in programming a saccade. We show that the frequency of microsaccades depends in a specific manner on the intention where to move the eyes (towards a target location or away from it), when to move (immediately after the onset of the target or after a delay), and what type of cue is followed (a peripheral onset or a centrally presented symbolic cue). In particular, in the preparatory interval before and early after target onset, more microsaccades were found when a delayed saccade towards a peripheral target was prepared than when a saccade away was programmed. However, no such divergence in the frequency of microsaccades was observed when saccades were initiated immediately after the onset of the target or when the saccades were programmed on the basis of a centrally presented arrow cue. The results are discussed in the context of the neural correlates of response preparation, known as preparatory set.
This is a Submitted version This version's date is: 2010 This item is not peer reviewed
https://repository.royalholloway.ac.uk/items/3b9428c4-3907-217c-7c9e-f47030ea8592/1/
Deposited by Research Information System (atira) on 21-Dec-2012 in Royal Holloway Research Online.Last modified on 21-Dec-2012