| Research Abstract |
The knowledge on neural mechanisms of vergence eye movement, especially in relation to adaptation, is still poor, instead of efforts in the last decade. In this study, I performed psychophysical and brain imaging studies on vergence and related eye movements. In psychophysical studies, 1) adaptive changes in vergence as well as pursuit were found by double step paradigm using computer-assisted stereoscopic stimuli. Eye movement was monitored by an infrared limbus tracker ; and 2) effects of the moving background on vergence evoked by a central target were analyzed. (Invest. Ophthalm. Vis. Sci., 2001 ; Vision Research, 2001 ; Invest. Ophthalm. Vis. Sci, 2001). In PET studies, stereoscopic stimuli were given through a stereoscopic head-mounted display with an eye movement monitor. V5, inferior parietal, lateral occipital and fusiform gyri were activated (NeuroImage, 1999). In fMRI studies, cerebellar activation in vermis (VI and VII) and hemisphere were revealed. Based on these results, it is indicated that the motor command generators, rather than the sites for visuo-motor integration, are responsible for adaptive changes in vergence and pursuit eye movements.
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