How the brain adjusts eye movements when you remember a target
Neural mechanisms of motor adaptation for an internally driven movement
This project looks at how the brain updates and keeps eye movements accurate when you direct your gaze from memory instead of seeing the target.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314534 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to make quick eye movements (saccades) either to visible targets or to locations you remember while researchers track how accurate those movements are and how they change with experience. The team will compare adaptation when the target is seen versus when it is held in memory to find behavioral differences and the underlying brain signals. Methods may include precise eye-tracking and brain recordings or imaging to observe how the nervous system updates motor commands. The aim is to learn how the brain maintains accurate movements across different situations and as people age.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults able to follow simple instructions, including people with normal vision, mild vision loss, or conditions that affect eye movements or spatial memory.
Not a fit: People with severe cognitive impairment, profound vision loss, or inability to perform eye-movement tasks would be unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help guide therapies or training to improve gaze control and movement accuracy in aging or neurological conditions that affect vision and motor planning.
How similar studies have performed: Many studies have shown clear adaptation for visually-guided saccades, but adaptation for memory-guided saccades is less explored, making this a relatively novel area.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kojima, Yoshiko — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Kojima, Yoshiko
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.