Do we track what we see? Common versus independent processing for motion perception and smooth pursuit eye movements: A review

Many neurophysiological studies in monkeys have indicated that visual motion information for the guidance of perception and smooth pursuit eye movements is – at an early stage – processed in the same visual pathway in the brain, crucially involving the middle temporal area (MT). However, these studies left some questions unanswered: Are perception and pursuit driven by the same or independent neuronal signals within this pathway? Are the perceptual interpretation of visual motion information and the motor response to visual signals limited by the same source of neuronal noise? Here, we review psychophysical studies that were motivated by these questions and compared perception and pursuit behaviorally in healthy human observers. We further review studies that focused on the interaction between perception and pursuit. The majority of results point to similarities between perception and pursuit, but dissociations were also reported. We discuss recent developments in this research area and conclude with suggestions for common and separate principles for the guidance of perceptual and motor responses to visual motion information.

Research highlights
► Perceptual and oculomotor responses to visual motion are guided by the same neuronal circuit.
► We review psychophysical studies directly comparing perception and pursuit eye movements.
► Behavioral evidence points to similarities and differences between both responses.
► Dissociations might be due to differences in task requirements and temporal constraints.