The Neural Control of Saccadic Eye Movements: The Role of the Superior Colliculus

Traditionally, the superior colliculus (SC) has been considered a center for producing reflexive movements of the eyes and head in response to visual stimuli. But the suggestion that the SC is a critical or necessary structure for voluntary or involuntary eye movements has been vigorously disputed (Pasik et al., 1966). In recent years, evidence has accumulated which supports earlier suggestions that the SC is involved in coding the location of an object relative to the fovea and in eliciting saccadic movements which produce foveal acquisition of the object. An alternative hypothesis, that the SC is concerned with shifting attention to specific areas of the visual field, has received experimental support as well.