Influence of movement parameters on area 18 neurones in the cat

In cats, 107 area 18 neurones with identified FR type, 10-50 degrees from the visual axis, were tested for the influence of direction, velocity and amplitude of movement. These three parameters are believed to be the primary parameters of a movement analysing system. 94% of the neurones were influenced by the direction of movement, all of them by the angular velocity and 16% by the amplitude of movement. For each of the primary parameters, tuning curves were established. Angular velocity influenced not only the response magnitude but also the response latency and the direction bias. By preparing response amplitude functions at different velocities the influence of movement duration was ruled out. The association of functional properties and RF organization suggests a model of information processing in area 18 of the cat.