Korean J Clin Neurophysiol.  2013 Dec;15(2):37-41. 10.14253/kjcn.2013.15.2.37.

Cerebellar Control of Saccades

• Choi JH
• Choi KD

• KMID: 1863271
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14253/kjcn.2013.15.2.37

Abstract

Saccades are rapid eye movements that shift the line of sight between successive points of fixation. The cerebellum calibrates saccadic amplitude (dorsal vermis and fastigial nucleus) and the saccadic pulse-step match (flocculus) for optimal visuo-ocular motor behavior. Based on electrophysiology and the pharmacological inactivation studies, early activity in one fastigial nucleus could be important for accelerating the eyes at the beginning of a saccade, and the later activity in the other fastigial nucleus could be critical for stopping the eye on target, which is controlled by inhibitory projection from the dorsal vermis. The cerebellum could monitor a corollary discharge of the saccadic command and terminate the eye movement when it is calculated to be on target. The fastigial nucleus and dorsal vermis also participate in the adaptive control of saccadic accuracy.

Keyword

Saccades; Cerebellum; Fastigial nucleus; Dorsal vermis; Saccadic adaptation

MeSH Terms

Cerebellum
Electrophysiology
Eye Movements
Saccades*
Sleep, REM

Figure

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  Figure 1. The major structures for saccades. The cerebellum receives saccadic commands, which are relayed by NRTP from the frontal eye fields and superior colliculus. FEF; frontal eye fields, DLPC; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, SEF; supplementary eye fields, PEF; parietal eye fields, PPC; posterior parietal cortex, IML; intramedullary lamina of thalamus, SNpr; substantia nigra pars reticularis, STN; subthalamic nucleus, NRTP; nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis.

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  Figure 2. Deep cerebellar nuclei.

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  Figure 3. Lobules of the cerebellum. The “ocular motor vermis” consists of lobules VI and VII (part of the declive, folium, tuber, and pyramids).

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  Figure 4. The procedures for the adaptation paradigm. In each frame, the stimulus is represented by a grey square and the current eye position by a cross. (1) The subject fixates the stimulus. (2) The stimulus is extinguished and simultaneously reappears 30° away from the fixation point. (3) While the eyes are moving to the new location, the stimulus is diplaced 8° backward. The displacement of target to one side leads directly to the other side in a continuous left/right alternation. The subjects perform 200 saccades while the target steps backward during the primary saccade.

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  Figure 5. Adaptive gain change of ipsi‐ and contralesional saccades in a patient with right cerebellar infarction. The saccadic gain adaptation is reduced only ipsilesionally.

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