Horizontal optokinetic responses under stroboscopic illumination in cat, monkey and man

The horizontal optokinetic reflex (OKN) was studied in cat, monkey and man under conditions of steady or stroboscopic illumination. In all species, there was an abrupt decrease in OKN gain for a given spatial displacement of the stimulus between two consecutive stroboscopic flashes. The upper limit of spatial displacement which preserved optimal OKN gain was independent of stimulus velocity and flash frequency. The value of this limit differed in the three species studied. In the cat, OKN gain was affected when the spatial displacement between two stimuli exceeded 0.55 degrees of visual angle. In monkey and man, these limits were 1.48 degrees and 2.87 degrees, respectively. When human subjects were asked to volontary track the stimulus, the limit value reached 4.3 degrees. This result is discussed in the context of the evolution of the smooth pursuit system and its contribution to optokinetic response.