Between the Retinotectal Projection and Directed Movement: Topography of a Sensorimotor Interface

Abstract

This article reviews some recent findings on the character of the neuronal organization lying between the optic tectum and motor pattern-generating circuitry in the case of orienting behaviors. It focuses on frogs but notes parallels to existing work on saccade control in mammals and suggests some additional ones for further exploration. In general, the map-like function of orienting does not appear to be subserved by a comparable map-like organization. It is argued that the current conceptual vocabulary for describing interface organization (sensory map, motor map, pattern-generating circuitry) is inadequate and that some additional concepts (activity-gated divergence, intermediate spatial representation) are necessary. Finally, some questions are raised about the appropriateness of the term 'motor map'.