Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
Published on: March 18, 2019
Pedunculo-pontine control of visually guided saccades
Yasushi Kobayashi1, Yuka Inoue, Tadashi Isa
1Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan. kobayasi@nips.ac.jp
Abstract:
The cholinergic pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTN) is one of the major ascending arousal systems in the brainstem, and it is linked to motor, limbic and sensory centers. Despite an abundance of anatomical and physiological data, however, the functional role of PPTN neurons in behavioral control is still unresolved. In this chapter, we hypothesize that the PPTN is implicated in the integrative control of movement, particularly the reinforcement of tasks performed during conscious behavior. We present a new model of the PPTN's involvement in the control of arousal, attention and reinforcement aspects of motor behavior, with a focus on the control of saccadic eye movements.
Related Concept Videos
Indirect Motor Pathways
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla
Olivary Nucleus
The olivary nucleus, or inferior olivary nucleus, is located within the ventrolateral part of the medulla oblongata. It is primarily involved in motor coordination and motor learning. The olivary nucleus receives input from the spinal cord, cerebellum, and motor...
Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions
Cerebellar Structure
Externally, the cerebellum features a highly convoluted surface with numerous folia (narrow ridges) separated by shallow sulci (grooves). The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres by a thin median structure known as the vermis. The...
Brainstem
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
