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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.10.30.621170

Superior colliculus peri-saccadic field potentials are dominated by a visual sensory preference for the upper visual field

Hafed, Z. M.
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Abstract

The primate superior colliculus (SC) plays important sensory, cognitive, and motor processing roles. Among its properties, the SC has clear visual field asymmetries: visual responses are stronger in the upper visual field representation, whereas saccade-related motor bursts are weaker. Here, I asked whether peri-saccadic SC network activity can still reflect the SCs visual sensitivity asymmetry, thus supporting recent evidence of sensory-related signals embedded within the SCs motor bursts. I analyzed collicular peri-saccadic local field potential (LFP) modulations and found them to be much stronger in the upper visual field, despite the weaker motor bursts. This effect persisted even with saccades towards a blank, suggesting an importance of visual field location. I also found that engaging working memory during saccade preparation differentially modulated the SCs LFPs, again with a dichotomous upper/lower visual field asymmetry. I conclude that the SC network possesses a clear sensory signal at the time of saccade generation.

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Hafed, Z. M.. 2024-10-31. Superior colliculus peri-saccadic field potentials are dominated by a visual sensory preference for the upper visual field. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.30.621170

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