Saccade-related omnivectoral pause neurons in the primate zona incerta.

Abstract

The zona incerta contains GABAergic neurons projecting directly on to collicular efferent neurons. This study examined the physiological characteristics of incertal neurons and their relationship to saccades. Cells in the zona incerta have moderate rates of activity and pause during saccades. These pauses begin prior to the start of saccades and activity resumes after the end of saccades in all directions and for all amplitudes. This perisaccadic pause is positively correlated with the duration of the saccade such that the longer the saccade is, the longer a pause is observed. These physiological data, in conjunction with anatomical observations, suggest that the zona incerta might normally function by inhibiting the superior colliculus and then by disinhibiting the superior colliculus for saccades.