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Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!
S. A. E. N.
"Exposing the truth to wipe out animal experimentation"

Government Grants Promoting Cruelty to Animals

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

CHRIS R. S. KANEKO - Primate Testing - 2006

Grant Number: 5R01EY006558-19
Project Title: Saccadic Eye Movement Studies
PI Information: RESEARCH SCIENTIST, IV CHRIS R S. KANEKO, [email protected] 

Abstract: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
The long-term objective of this research is to understand how the brain translates sensory information into the commands for movements. The oculomotor system is an excellent model for study because of its simple peripheral mechanics and musculature and the ease with which eye movements can be accurately measured. Because of these advantages, the component neuron types, their discharge patterns, and many of the connections of various oculomotor subsystems are comparatively well understood. Perhaps the most-studied type of eye movements is the quick, scanning movements called saccades. The specific goal of our research is to continue this detailed description in order to provide a basis for determining how the neural components actually produce saccades and to serve as a foundation for the study of higher-order neural processes. Recent studies have implicated the midline cerebellum in the direct control of saccades. Our specific aims are to begin to investigate its contribution. The major brainstem input to the cerebellum is from the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (nrtp) so we will assess the function of the nrtp using recording, electrical stimulation and reversible (in) activation with neuroactive agents. We will study nrtp neurons during normal saccades and in paradigms in which the animal is required to adapt the amplitude of the saccade. We suggest that the nrtp pathway mediates feed forward and feedback control of saccades and hope to quantify this hypothesis based on the information we will provide in these studies. Because accurate eye movements are essential for clear vision, these studies contribute to our understanding of normal visual mechanisms. They also provide an example of how the nervous system processes (visual) sensory information into (saccadic) motor responses and may help to interpret studies of the intervening processes like (visual) target selection. Finally, the diagnosis and localization of nervous system dysfunction resulting from a wide variety of causes has been significantly advanced by the characterization of oculomotor functions (i.e., eye signs).

Thesaurus Terms:
eye movement, neural information processing, neuron, saccade, sensorimotor system, superior colliculus, visual feedback central neural pathway /tract, neurophysiology, pons, visual stimulus Macaca mulatta, electrophysiology, electrostimulus

Institution: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Office of Sponsored Programs, SEATTLE, WA 98105
Fiscal Year: 2006
Department: PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOPHYSICS
Project Start: 01-SEP-1986
Project End: 31-MAR-2009
ICD: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
IRG: ZRG1

Neurophysiol 95: 979-994, 2006. First published October 19, 2005

Saccade-Related, Long-Lead Burst Neurons in the Monkey Rostral Pons

Chris R. S. Kaneko

Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Submitted 19 July 2005; accepted in final form 17 October 2005

In brief, four juvenile (3�5 kg), male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; monkeys O, M, H, and B) were anesthetized and implanted with a scleral search coil (Fuchs and Robinson 1966 ), a recording chamber, and head-stabilization lugs in aseptic surgery. The technique was that described by Judge et al. (1980 ), modified so that the lead wire exits though a hole drilled in the back orbit (cf. Kaneko et al. 1981 ). After they recovered, the monkeys were trained to track a moveable, back-projected laser spot for food reward.

Please email:  CHRIS R. S. KANEKO, [email protected]  to protest the inhumane use of animals in this experiment. We would also love to know about your efforts with this cause: [email protected]

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Rats, mice, birds, amphibians and other animals have been excluded from coverage by the Animal Welfare Act. Therefore research facility reports do not include these animals. As a result of this situation, a blank report, or one with few animals listed, does not mean that a facility has not performed experiments on non-reportable animals. A blank form does mean that the facility in question has not used covered animals (primates, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, pigs, sheep, goats, etc.). Rats and mice alone are believed to comprise over 90% of the animals used in experimentation. Therefore the majority of animals used at research facilities are not even counted.

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