PRESACCADIC SPIKE POTENTIAL IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

We examined the characteristics of the presaccadic spike potential (SP ) in normal human subjects to clarify some of the discrepancies betwee n previously reported studies. Measurement of SP was performed in 14 n ormal human volunteer subjects performing saccades to visual stimuli. These were compared left versus right, centripetal versus centrifugal, and in increments of 5, 10, 20, and 40 degrees. SP amplitudes for sac cades to center were greater than from saccades away from center at hi gher degrees. SP amplitudes to abducting saccades were of larger ampli tude than those of adducting saccades. This study clarifies some discr epancies in previous reports on SP which did not distinguish saccades to center versus from center. SP data of normal individuals, for multi ple saccade angles and directions, provides a basis for studying patie nts with disorders of ocular motility.