Neural signals in monkey primary visual cortex that predict direction and latency of saccades

Abstract

When in the brain is a decision made? In the visual domain, a behavioral outcome of a decision is a saccade, which is a fast shift of gaze towards a target in the visual scene. Making a saccade includes a sensory phase where a target is located and identified and a motor phase where an eye movement is prepared and executed. Current neurophysiological data and reaction time models show that saccadic reaction times are determined by the build-up of activity in motor-related structures. Here we show, using a delayed figure-ground detection task that sustained activity in the sensory visual cortex (V1) predicts saccadic reaction time. This predictive activity is part of the process of figure-ground segregation and is specific for the saccade target location. These observations show how sensory signals can provide information for the decision when and where to look.