Vestibular input to visual tracking neurons in the posterior parietal association cortex of the monkey.

Single unit recordings were made in the posterior parietal association cortex (area 7) of the behaving monkey. Visual tracking neurons were identified by the discharge pattern during the task of pursuit of moving visual objects. Vestibular inputs to these tracking neurons were examined by sinusoidal rotation of the turntable, on which the monkey was seated. The activity of more than half of horizontal tracking neurons was modulated by horizontal rotation in the dark. Most of them responded to the head rotation with the same preferred direction as visual tracking. It was concluded that visual tracking neurons of area 7 receive vestibular input and therefore are likely to integrate visual and vestibular informations.