Assessing the Functional Role of Frontal Eye Fields in Voluntary and Reflexive Saccades Using Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation.

ABSTRACT: The frontal eye fields (FEFs) are core nodes of the oculomotor system contributing to saccade planning, control, and execution. Here, we aimed to reveal hemispheric asymmetries between left and right FEF in both voluntary and reflexive saccades toward horizontal and vertical targets. To this end, we applied fMRI-guided continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) over either left or right FEF and assessed the consequences of this disruption on saccade latencies. Using a fully counterbalanced within-subject design, we measured saccade latencies before and after the application of cTBS in eighteen healthy volunteers. In general, saccade latencies on both tasks were susceptible to our experimental manipulations, that is, voluntary saccades were slower than reflexive saccades, and downward saccad

SUBMITTER: Gurel SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6302006 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature