What can fMRI tell us about functional variability in the oculomotor system and saccade performance?

Abstract

Eye movement behavior is variable, and the brain's oculomotor circuitry may not always function consistently. In a recent fMRI study, Ozyurt and Greenlee (2011) correlated the activation strength of cortical and striatal brain regions with inter- and intraindividual variability in saccade performance. We discuss the design and implications of this study with regard to the differences between inter- and intraindividual variability, and the link between the BOLD signal and oculomotor activity. © 2012 the American Physiological Society.