Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
06:46
Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
Published on: March 18, 2019
End-point variability is not noise in saccade adaptation.
James P Herman1, C Phillip Cloud, Josh Wallman
1Department of Biology, The City College of New York, New York, New York, United States of America. james.herman@nih.gov
Plos One
|April 5, 2013
Summary
This study shows that even small intrasaccadic target steps (ISS) effectively drive saccade adaptation, a form of motor learning. Findings suggest current models of saccadic error computation may need revision.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Oculomotor Research
Background:
- Saccade adaptation is motor learning where saccade amplitude decreases with target overshoot.
- Intrasaccadic target steps (ISS) experimentally induce saccade overshoot and adaptation.
- Effectiveness of varying ISS sizes and feasibility with small ISSs remain understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically compare the effectiveness of different small intrasaccadic target step (ISS) amplitudes in driving saccade adaptation.
- To investigate the feasibility of saccade adaptation using very small ISS values.
- To evaluate the factors influencing saccade adaptation magnitude.
Main Methods:
- Experimentally induced saccade overshoot using a range of small, fixed intrasaccadic target step (ISS) values (0° to 1° after a 10° primary target step).
- Systematically varied ISS amplitude across sessions to compare adaptation effectiveness.
- Analyzed saccade amplitude changes in response to different ISS sizes.
Main Results:
- Significant saccade adaptation was observed even with an ISS as small as 0.25°.
- Adaptation magnitude was comparable across conditions, with a similar proportion of the ISS compensated for.
- Intrasaccadic target step (ISS) size alone sufficiently explained the observed adaptation magnitude.
Conclusions:
- Saccade adaptation is achievable with very small intrasaccadic target steps (ISS).
- Current assumptions about the computation of saccadic error may require reevaluation based on these findings.
- ISS size is a primary determinant of saccade adaptation magnitude.
