Participation of the primate presupplementary motor area in sequencing multiple saccades

The aim of this study was to investigate whether, and how, the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA) is involved in the organization of oculomotor sequence. We trained two monkeys to perform three center-out saccades in six different orders. Each sequence consisted of a block of eight trials, initially with visual instruction (4 trials) and then from memory (4 trials). During memory-guided performance of sequential saccades, approximately 75% of task-related neuronal activity was selective for, or influenced by, the numerical position of saccades within each sequence (rank order). Neurons tuned for the direction of saccades were in the minority. We also found that 22% of sampled neurons increased their activity preferentially at a transitional period when monkeys were in the process of renewal of required saccade sequences. These data indicate that the pre-SMA is involved in the organization of oculomotor sequence, particularly in representing rank-order information and in updating sequence information. Together with previous reports on the participation of the pre-SMA in sequencing of multiple arm movements, we propose here that this area may contribute to cognitive aspects of sequential behavioral control, in an effector-independent manner.