Differences between smooth pursuit and optokinetic eye movements using limited lifetime dot stimulation: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Full Abstract

In this study, we examined possible differences in brain activation between smooth pursuit and optokinetic reflexive (OKR) eye movements using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Eighteen healthy subjects performed two different eye movement paradigms. In the first paradigm, smooth pursuit eye movements were evoked by a single moving dot. In the second paradigm, optokinetic eye movements without a foveal smooth pursuit component were evoked by a moving pattern of multiple dots with a limited lifetime. As expected, the two eye movement systems show overlapping pathways, but the direct comparison of the activation patterns between the two experiments showed that the frontal eye field, MT/V5 and cerebellar area VI appear to be more activated during smooth pursuit than during optokinetic eye movements. These results showed that the smooth pursuit and optokinetic eye movement systems can be differentiated with fMRI using limited lifetime dots as an effective OKR stimulus.

Author information

Author/s: Schraa-Tam, Caroline K L (CK); van der Lugt, Aad (A); Smits, Marion (M); Frens, Maarten A (MA); van Broekhoven, P C A (PC); van der Geest, Josef N (JN);

Affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Clinical physiology and functional imaging (Clin Physiol Funct Imaging), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 29 (issue 4) : pp 245-54

Dates: Created 2009/06/12; Completed 2009/08/26;

PMID: 19281500, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 8/26/2009)

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