How does saccade adaptation affect visual perception?

• Published in: Journal of vision (Charlottesville, Va.) Vol. 8; no. 8; p. 3
• Main Authors: Hernandez, T. D., Levitan, C. A., Banks, M. S., Schor, C. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 02.06.2008
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological - physiology; Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Models, Biological; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Oculomotor Muscles - innervation; Oculomotor Muscles - physiology; Photic Stimulation - methods; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Retina - physiology; Saccades - physiology; Visual Perception - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1534-7362; 1534-7362
• DOI: 10.1167/8.8.3

Three signals are used to visually localize targets and stimulate saccades: (1) retinal location signals for intended saccade amplitude, (2) sensory-motor transform (SMT) of retinal signals to extra-ocular muscle innervation, and (3) estimates of eye position from extra-retinal signals. We investigated effects of adapting saccade amplitude to a double-step change in target location on perceived direction. In a flashed-pointing task, subjects pointed an unseen hand at a briefly displayed eccentric target without making a saccade. In a sustained-pointing task, subjects made a horizontal saccade to a double-step target. One second after the second step, they pointed an unseen hand at the final target position. After saccade-shortening adaptation, there was little change in hand-pointing azimuth toward the flashed target suggesting that most saccade adaptation was caused by changes in the SMT. After saccade-lengthening adaptation, there were small changes in hand-pointing azimuth to flashed targets, indicating that 1/3 of saccade adaptation was caused by changes in estimated retinal location signals and 2/3 by changes in the SMT. The sustained hand-pointing task indicated that estimates of eye position adapted inversely with changes of the SMT. Changes in perceived direction resulting from saccade adaptation are mainly influenced by extra-retinal factors with a small retinal component in the lengthening condition.