Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
07:30
Efficiently Recording the Eye-Hand Coordination to Incoordination Spectrum
Published on: March 21, 2019
Planning, Coordination, and Communication: The Posterior Parietal Cortex in Eye-Hand Control
Eric Mooshagian1, Lawrence H Snyder2
11Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA;
Annual Review of Vision Science
|July 1, 2026
Summary
Eye-hand coordination involves parallel processing, not just sequential eye movements guiding the hand. A distributed brain network, especially the posterior parietal cortex, integrates signals for flexible control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Eye-hand coordination (EHC) is crucial for daily activities.
- Traditionally viewed as sequential (eyes first, then hand), new evidence suggests parallel processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying eye-hand coordination.
- To challenge the sequential model and propose a distributed network view.
Main Methods:
- Review of converging behavioral and neurophysiological evidence.
- Analysis of experimental dissociations in coordination tasks.
- Focus on posterior parietal cortex (PPC) function and interareal interactions.
Main Results:
- Saccade and reach planning initiate concurrently, with timing influenced by effector dynamics.
- Coordination is enhanced by coupling but not obligatory, especially in complex tasks.
- The PPC acts as a key integration hub for sensory and motor signals.
Conclusions:
- Eye-hand coordination relies on a distributed network with parallel commands and structured interareal communication.
- The PPC plays a central role in integrating information for flexible eye and hand control.
- Beta-band oscillations may link oculomotor and manual circuits, but their causal role is under investigation.
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