EFFECTS OF EYE POSITION ON SACCADES EVOKED BY STIMULATION OF THE MONKEY SUPERIOR COLLICULUS

EFFECTS Of different initial eye positions on saccades evoked by elect rical stimulation of the superior colliculus (SC) were investigated in alert monkeys with the head restrained. The dependence of saccade vec tor on initial eye position was studied quantitatively by multiple reg ression analysis. Following stimulation at 240 of 367 sites in the SC, saccade vector was influenced by initial eye position. The magnitude of eye position effects on horizontal saccade component was similar to that for vertical component. These effects were mostly found with sti mulation in the caudal SC. Results suggest that eye position signals m ay control excitability of neurones in the SC.