Figure 3.

Enhancement of neural responses after real and simulated saccades, and the effect of peri-saccadic stimulus contrast. (A,B) Neural responses for test stimuli presented after real and simulated saccades, respectively, averaged across all cells. Responses are enhanced after real saccades (A) but not after simulated saccades (B). (C) Neural responses for test stimuli presented after real saccades made across a blank screen (i.e., contrast of the background texture during the peri-saccadic period was 0%). As for responses following saccades across the high contrast background texture, neural responses for this paradigm are on average greater in the short-delay condition compared to the long-delay condition. (D,E) Histograms of the neural enhancement index, for all cells, for test stimuli presented after real and simulated saccades, respectively. On average, responses are significantly enhanced after real saccades [(D), mean enhancement index 0.06, ASL < 0.001; n = 126] but not after simulated saccades [(E), mean enhancement index 0.01, ASL = 0.35; n = 83]. (F) Histogram of the neural enhancement index for test stimuli presented after real saccades made across a blank screen. For this paradigm the enhancement index reveals a small but significant enhancement of the neural responses (mean enhancement index 0.02, ASL = 0.02, n = 79).