Predictive smooth pursuit eye movements near abrupt changes in motion direction.

The stimulus-response characteristics of predictive smooth pursuit eye movements near the time of predictable, abrupt changes in target motion direction were studied. Expectations about the speed and direction of target motion both before and after the direction change affected specific components of the predictive pursuit responses. We propose that, when the direction of target motion is expected to change, the cessation of motion in one direction and the initiation of motion in a new direction are separately anticipated and that predictive pursuit movements are summated responses to these two events.