Gaze-orientation during transient occlusion

Abstract

Fast moving objects are often transiently occluded in our normal surrounds as they pass behind other surfaces and objects. The consequent loss of drive from visual feedback can be compensated by extra-retinal input. Evidence from behavioural studies indicates that gaze orientation during transient occlusion is not simply a reflexive response but can also be predictive of the upcoming motion. Indeed, while smooth pursuit eye velocity often falls below target velocity during a transient occlusion, it increases prior to object reappearance in order to reduce retinal slip. Moreover, the smooth response is combined with saccadic eye movements that match eye displacement to object displacement and thus minimize position error at object reappearance. Comparisons of conditions that require fixation or pursuit suggest that the maintenance of gaze orientation during transient occlusion is the habitual response and can facilitate both spatial and temporal estimation. Interconnected areas of the frontal and parietal cortex have been shown to be active during pursuit of occluded object motion and are thus thought to be involved in the control of gaze-orientation as well as representing object motion. Future work should determine whether expertise in sport mediates oculomotor control and thereby perception of relevant information to support expert performance.