Links between eye movement preparation and the attentional processing of tactile events: An event-related brain potential study

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology 2008-11, Vol.119 (11), p.2587-2597
• Main Authors: Gherri, Elena, Eimer, Martin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Attention; Attention - physiology; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cues; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electroencephalography; Electrophysiology; Event-related brain potentials; Evoked Potentials - physiology; Eye movement; Eye Movements - physiology; Female; Functional Laterality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Physical Stimulation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychophysics; Reaction Time - physiology; Somatosensory processing; Spatial; Time Factors; Touch - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2008.07.214

Abstract Objective We investigated whether the covert preparation of saccadic eye movements results in spatially specific modulations of somatosensory processing. Methods ERPs were recorded in a spatial cueing experiment where auditory cues preceded tactile stimuli delivered to the left or right hand. In the Saccade task, cues signalled that an eye movement towards the left or right hand had to be prepared. In the Covert Attention task, cues signalled the direction of a covert shift of tactile attention. Results A lateralized component previously observed during cued shifts of spatial attention (ADAN) was elicited in the cue–target interval in both tasks. The somatosensory N140 component was enhanced for tactile stimuli presented to the hand on the cued side. This modulation was present not just in the Covert Attention task, but also in the Saccade task. Longer-latency effects of spatial cueing were only present in the Covert Attention task. Conclusions Covert shifts of attention and saccade preparation have similar effects on early stages of tactile processing, suggesting that both are mediated by overlapping control processes. Significance These findings support the premotor theory of attention by demonstrating that the programming of eye movements has spatially selective effects on somatosensory processing.