Response properties of neurons in posterior parietal cortex of monkey during visual-vestibular stimulation. I. Visual tracking neurons.

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Extracellular recordings were obtained from 163 visual tracking neurons in area 7a or PG (24) of alert monkeys. The firing patterns were observed during movements of the chair in which the monkey was seated with its head fixed and of a visual target that the monkey was trained to fixate continuously. Horizontal visual tracking neurons were classified into three groups, A, B, and C, on the basis of the following two discharge characteristics: directional preference for visual tracking and response to horizontal sinusoidal oscillation of the chair in the dark. Those neurons that did not respond to chair oscillations in the dark were classified as type A (26/53). Of the remainder, those that responded with the same directional preference as during visual tracking were classified as type B (19/53), and those that showed the opposite directional preference were classified as type C (8/53). When the target and the chair were oscillated together and the monkey canceled the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) (combined eye and head tracking), most of the visual tracking neurons (types A and B, 32/38) continued to respond in the same way as during visual tracking when the chair was stationary. Type C neurons showed only weak responses. When the monkey fixated an earth-fixed target while the chair was oscillated sinusoidally (VOR target task), responses of the types A and B neurons were much smaller than during visual tracking, while type C neurons were clearly modulated. The results suggest that visual tracking neurons receive information concerning the smooth-pursuit command during combined eye and head (gaze) movements; some also receive vestibular information in addition to the pursuit command information.