Multiple integration of input and output in the cortex.

Abstract

We inserted microelectrodes in eye movement-evoking cortices (EMECs) of cats and examined whether neurones in the EMECs received sensory input from guide signals and fired prior to saccades. The five EMECs were the medial wall of the hemisphere under the cruciate sulcus, the medical and lateral bank of the presylvian sulcus, the fundus of the coronal sulcus and ventral bank of the anterior ectosylvian sulcus. Neurones in all EMECs responded to input guide signals and discharged prior to the saccades. The neurones, however, did not always respond to all saccades, but responded cooperatively or alternatively among the EMECs. These results suggest that input information is projected to a broad area of the cortex and is integrated with output signals in the same cortex to which the input information was projected.