Do the saccadic system and the vestibulo-ocular reflex of monkeys share a common neural integrator?

Abstract

A common 'neural integrator' has been hypothesized to perform mathematical integration of velocity-coded inputs for all oculomotor subsystems. Studies in cats suggested that the integrators for some subsystems may be differentially affected by drugs. Our tests in macaques show that the fixation is unaffected and saccadic and vestibulo-ocular systems are affected in parallel. Thus, the common integrator hypothesis cannot be ruled out on the basis of these results.