Rapid switching of vestibulo-motor pathways through voluntary eyelid closure in primates.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how the brain adjusts movement control based on context is key to explaining adaptive behavior. The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), with its well-defined circuitry, demonstrates adaptability-its primary role in stabilizing vision is suppressed when gaze redirection is required but remains resilient even in complete darkness. Here, we investigated VOR responses during intentional eye closure, when the need for visual stabilization is volitionally removed. Using scleral search coils, we measured human VOR responses and found a rapid ~36-90% reduction across movement directions when participants voluntarily closed their eyes, indicating a broad disruption of VOR pathways. This attenuation coincided with eyelid closure and persisted until the eyes reopened. Parallel experiments in

SUBMITTER: Raat EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12635057 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature