Electrical activity in the lateral geniculate body of the alert monkey associated with eye movements.

Abstract

Each rapid movement of the eyes in the alert monkey in the dark, whether a saccade or a quick phase of nystagmus, is associated with a monophasic negative potential in the lateral geniculate body. This potential is unrelated to the direction, duration, velocity or type of rapid eye movement and does not accompany slow eye movements. It follows the onset of the eye movement by 30-50 msec. It is not due to movement of the globes, to eye muscle activity, or to proprioceptlve feedback from the eye muscles. Instead it appears to reflect activity of the central oculomotor system. Similar lateral geniculate body potentials are also induced by blinks, and by auditory and somesthetic stimulation while the eyes are motionless. Potentials which accompany rapid eye movements are widely distributed throughout the lateral geniculate body, particularly in the dorsal cell layers. Their function is unknown.