Ocular pursuit and visual memory of moving shapes

This paper deals with visual memory of moving shapes. During a visual recognition task, shapes moved on a computer screen, at a constant speed, and in a direction that was either similar, orthogonal or opposite to the direction of motion during learning. Results showed that correct response rate varies according to oculomotor factors: (1) the motor skill of ocular pursuit during learning and (2) the compatibility between motor control of ocular pursuits during learning and recognition. These data suggest that recognition of a moving shape is linked to recognition of ocular pursuits that subjects had previously repeated during shape learning. Possible neural substrates underlying this sensorimotor integration are discussed. More generally, these data shed light on the role of eye movements in visual memory organization.