Neuro Forum What can fMRI tell us about functional variability in the oculomotor system and saccade performance?

Chan JL, Kucyi A. What can fMRI tell us about functional variability in the oculomotor system and saccade performance? J Neurophysiol 107: 2295–2297, 2012. First published January 18, 2012; doi:10.1152/jn.00724.2011.—Eye movement behavior is variable, and the brain’s oculomotor circuitry may not always function consistently. In a recent fMRI study, Ozyurt and Greenlee (2011) correlated the activation strength of cortical and striatal brain regions with interand intraindividual variability in saccade performance. We discuss the design and implications of this study with regard to the differences between interand intraindividual variability, and the link between the BOLD signal and oculomotor activity.