Human vision starts with the activation of rod photoreceptors in dim light and short (S)-, medium (M)-, and long (L)- wavelength-sensitive cone photoreceptors in daylight. Recently a parallel, non-rod, non-cone photoreceptive pathway, arising from a population of retinal ganglion cells, was discovered in nocturnal rodents. These ganglion cells express the putative photopigment melanopsin and by signalling gross changes in light intensity serve the subconscious, 'non-image-forming' functions of circadian photoentrainment and pupil constriction. Here we show an anatomically distinct population of 'giant', melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells in the primate retina that, in addition to being intrinsically photosensitive, are strongly activated by rods and cones, and display a rare, S-Off, (L + M)-On type of colour-opponent receptive field. The intrinsic, rod and (L + M) cone-derived light responses combine in these giant cells to signal irradiance over the full dynamic range of human vision. In accordance with cone-based colour opponency, the giant cells project to the lateral geniculate nucleus, the thalamic relay to primary visual cortex. Thus, in the diurnal trichromatic primate, 'non-image-forming' and conventional 'image-forming' retinal pathways are merged, and the melanopsin-based signal might contribute to conscious visual perception.

1. We studied the effect of temporarily inhibiting neurons in the caudal fastigial nucleus in two rhesus macaques trained to make saccades to jumping targets. We placed injections of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist muscimol unilaterally or bilaterally at sites in the caudal fastigial nucleus where we had recorded saccade-related neurons a few minutes earlier. 2. Unilateral injections (n = 9) made horizontal saccades to the injected side hypermetric and those to the other side hypometric (mean gain of 1.37 and 0.61, respectively, for 10 degrees target steps, and 1.26 and 0.81 for 20 degrees target steps; normal saccade gain was 0.96). Saccades to vertical targets showed a small but significant hypermetria and curved strongly toward the side of the injection. The trajectories and end points of all targeted saccades were more variable than normal. 3. After unilateral injections, centripetal saccades were slightly larger than centrifugal saccades (mean gains for ipsilateral saccades were 1.42 and 1.31, respectively, for 10 degrees target steps, and 1.37 and 1.15 for 20 degrees target steps). 4. Unilateral injections increased the average acceleration of ipsilateral saccades and decreased the acceleration of contralateral saccades. Injections decreased both the acceleration and deceleration of vertical saccades. 5. After dysmetric saccades, monkeys acquired the target with an abnormally high number of hypometric corrective saccades. Injection increased the average number of corrective saccades from 0.6 to 2.1 after 10 degrees horizontal target steps and from 0.8 to 2.1 after 20 degrees steps. The size of each successive corrective saccade in a series decreased, and the latency from the previous corrective saccade increased. 6. Bilateral injections (n = 2) of muscimol, in which we injected first into the left caudal fastigial nucleus and then, within 30 min, into the right, made all saccades hypermetric (mean gain for 10 degrees right, left, up, and down saccades was 1.18, 1.49, 1.43, and 1.10, respectively). Paradoxically, bilateral injection decreased both saccade acceleration and deceleration. Saccade trajectories and end points were more variable than normal. 7. To account for the effects of our injections, we propose that the activity of caudal fastigial neurons on one side normally helps to decelerate ipsilateral saccades and helps to accelerate contralateral saccades by influencing the feedback loop of the saccade burst generator in the brain stem. Without caudal fastigial activity the brain stem burst generator produces hypermetric, variable saccades. We therefore also propose that the influence of caudal fastigial neurons on the burst generator makes saccades more consistent and accurate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

We adapted the saccadic gain (saccadic amplitude/target step amplitude) by requiring monkeys to track a small spot that stepped to one side by 5, 10, or 15 degrees and then, during the initial targeting saccade, jumped either forward or backward by a fixed percentage of the initial step. Saccadic gain increased or decreased, respectively, as a function of the number of adapting saccades made in that direction. The relation between gain and the number of adapting saccades was fit with an exponential function, yielding an asymptotic gain and a rate constant (the number of saccades to achieve 63% of the total change in gain). Backward intrasaccadic target jumps of 15, 30, and 50% of the initial target step reduced the asymptotic gain by an average of 12.2, 23.1, and 36.4%, respectively, with average rate constants of 163, 368, and 827 saccades, respectively. During 50% backward jumps, some saccades, especially those to larger target steps, became slower and lasted longer. Forward intrasaccadic jumps of 30% increased the asymptotic gain by 23.3% (average rate constant of 1,178 saccades). After we had caused adaptation, we induced recovery of gain toward normal by requiring the animal to track target steps without intrasaccadic jumps. Recovery following forward adaptation required about one third fewer saccades than the preceding gain increase. Recovery following backward adaptation required about the same average number of saccades as the preceding gain decrease. The first saccades of recovery were slightly less adapted than the last saccades of adaptation, suggesting that a small part of adaptation might have been strategic. After 50% backward jumps had reduced saccadic gain, the hypometric primary saccades during recovery were followed by hypometric corrective saccades, suggesting that they too had been adapted. When saccades of only one size underwent gain reduction, saccades to target steps of other amplitudes showed much less adaptation. Also, saccades in the direction opposite to that adapted were not adapted. Gain reductions endured if an adapted animal was placed in complete darkness for 20 h. These data indicate that saccadic gain adaptation is relatively specific to the adapted step and does not produce parametric changes of all saccades. Furthermore, adaptation is not a strategy, but involves enduring neuronal reorganization in the brain. We suggest that this paradigm engages mechanisms that determine saccadic gain in real life and therefore offers a reversible means to study their neuronal substrate.

1. The effects of lesions in both human and nonhuman primates have implicated the cerebellum in the control of rapid eye movements, i.e., saccades. To examine the neural substrate of this control, we recorded the discharge patterns of cerebellar output cells in the fastigial nucleus while monkeys tracked a small, jumping spot of light. 2. In the caudal fastigial nucleus, neurons discharged for saccades in one or several directions. All exhibited a burst. Some also exhibited a saccade-related pause in firing either before or after saccades greater than approximately 3-5 degrees. Thirty-seven percent discharged only a burst, 44% also exhibited a pause before bursts in certain directions, and 19% also paused after the saccade-related burst in certain directions. Although many cells discharged steadily during intersaccadic intervals, few exhibited a robust relation between firing rate and eye position. 3. As a measure of directional selectivity, we plotted the burst lead time as a function of saccade direction for saccades of similar (10 degrees) radial amplitudes. Of 20 neurons tested, 17 burst earliest for contralateral saccades and 1 for upward saccades; 2 others showed little dependence on direction. Of 19 additional units tested only in the horizontal direction, 18 burst earlier for contralateral saccades. 4. For contralateral saccades the burst preceded saccades of all sizes by at least 7.7 ms on average. For ipsilateral saccades, the burst preceded small saccades by an average of 10.3 ms. However, as ipsilateral saccade size increased, the burst began later and later relative to saccade onset so that, on average, it always occurred after the onset of 20 degrees saccades but well before the saccade ended. 5. Many fastigial saccade-related units showed increases in the number of spikes with saccade size and in burst duration with saccade duration in one or more directions. For either relation the highest average correlation coefficients ranged from 0.6 to 0.65. In general, the average correlation coefficients and slopes for either relation were slightly larger for contralateral saccades. Pure burst neurons did not display better average correlations than neurons that also paused. For neurons that also paused either before or after saccades, there was a weak tendency for pause duration to increase with the duration of larger saccades. 6. We tested the effect of eye position on unit discharge in 13 cells by requiring the monkey to make 10 degrees ipsilateral and contralateral saccades from a variety of starting positions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)