12-2. Adaptive Control of Ocular Reflexes

In various ocular reflexes, neuronal circuit components corresponding to the controller, controlled object, and adaptive mechanism have been identified on the basis of anatomical structures, lesion effects, and activities of Purkinje cells and other involved neurons. These components are illustrated in Figures 36 to 38. As reviewed in Chapter 10, “Ocular Reflexes,” visual feedback plays no role in the VOR. It may operate in the OKR, OFR, and saccades, but only quite inefficiently because of its relatively long delay (50–100 milliseconds) (Smith et al., 1969) (see Chapter 10). Hence, to maintain an optimal gain over a given range of vestibular, visual, and oculomotor conditions, these ocular reflexes need the intervention of a microcomplex as an adaptive controller.