Event:

The role of the superior colliculus in the control of gaze is wellunderstood. However, lying just beneath the superior colliculus, in themidbrain reticular formation, is the central mesencephalic reticularformation (cMRF). Stimulation and recording experiments have indicated that the cMRF plays a role in horizontal saccades, but the connections by which it exerts its influence are poorly understood. This talk willdescribe studies in which:1. A pattern of reciprocal inhibitory feedback to the superior colliculus is organized. 2. Projections to the omnipause neurons in the pons are present to allow initiation of saccades. 3. The presence of a premotor projections to medial rectus motor neurons and preganglionic motor neurons in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus are demonstrated. The pattern of these final premotor projections suggests that the cMRF may be the source of inputs to allow disjunctive gaze changes when looking between targets in 3-dimensional space.