Superior colliculus articles from across Nature Portfolio

Using two different comparisons of varying saccade types, a systematic analysis of saccade-related activity in superior colliculus (SC) neurons demonstrates that SC motor bursts do not dictate the kinematics of rapid eye movements.

Value-based decision making involves choosing from multiple options with different values. The authors identify a neural mechanism that directly transforms absolute values to categorical choices within the superior colliculus and which supports value-based decision making critical for real-world economic behaviours.

Microsaccades are small-amplitude, fixational eye movements that are largely thought to be involuntary. Here, the authors demonstrate that monkeys (and humans) can be easily trained to respond to a remembered target location with a volitional microsaccade, and that a population of superior colliculus neurons is selectively associated with them.

Neurons in the mouse postrhinal cortex receive visual inputs from the superior colliculus and respond to visual motion independently of the primary visual cortex.