NEURAL CONTROL OF VISUAL VESTIBULAR BEHAVIOR

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Normal posture, balance and stable vision are dependent on interactions between the visual and vestibular systems. Studies in this project are directed at defining the neural substrate for normal visual-vestibular gaze behavior. We have published studies that show neurons in FEF and MST play differential roles in gaze and gain control. We have shown that neurons in FEF carry a signal that features eye acceleration for gaze. Finally, we used target perturbatation during ongoing smooth pursuit task to show that most MST neurons play little role in gain control. In modeling studies we have shown that cortical areas FEF and MST play complimentary roles in gaze pursuit. This includes a strong contribution to pursuit initiation and maintenance in FEF and MST respectively. Studies in this project document differential signal processing and capability for gaze control in parallel pathways involving cortical-ponto-cerebellar pathways. This work advances our understanding of sensory-motor circuits that are compromised in disease or injury.