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Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
Published on: March 18, 2019
Spatial remapping of the visual world across saccades
1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, UK. p.bays@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Neuroreport
|July 17, 2007
Summary
Neurons that remap visual fields before eye movements (saccades) do not predict future input for visual stability. Instead, spatial remapping supports action control, sensorimotor adaptation, and spatial memory.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Visual System Research
Background:
- Neurons in the visual system remap receptive fields before saccades.
- This remapping was hypothesized to predict postsaccadic visual input, aiding visual stability.
- Such predictions were thought to compensate for retinal image shifts during eye movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence regarding the role of predictive remapping in visual stability.
- To propose an alternative functional role for spatial remapping in nonperceptual processes.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing research on visual system neurons and saccadic eye movements.
- Analysis of the evidence for and against predictive coding in visual stability.
- Consideration of alternative hypotheses for the function of spatial remapping.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests prediction does not significantly contribute to maintaining visual stability.
- Spatial remapping's primary function may lie in nonperceptual domains.
Conclusions:
- The predictive role of visual neuron remapping in maintaining visual stability is unlikely.
- Spatial remapping primarily supports action control, sensorimotor adaptation, and spatial memory.
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