Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Accurately predicting the arrival position of a moving target is essential in sports and daily life. While predictive saccades are known to enhance performance, the neural mechanisms underlying the timing of these strategies remain unclear. This study invest...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Ryo Koshizawa Kazuma Oki Masaki Takayose |
| author_facet | Ryo Koshizawa Kazuma Oki Masaki Takayose |
| author_sort | Ryo Koshizawa |
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| description | <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Accurately predicting the arrival position of a moving target is essential in sports and daily life. While predictive saccades are known to enhance performance, the neural mechanisms underlying the timing of these strategies remain unclear. This study investigated how the timing of saccadic strategies—executed early versus late—affects cortical activity patterns, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG). <b>Methods</b>: Sixteen participants performed a task requiring them to predict the arrival position and timing of a parabolically moving target that became occluded midway through its trajectory. Based on eye movement behavior, participants were classified into an Early Saccade Strategy Group (SSG) or a Late SSG. EEG signals were analyzed in the low beta band (13–15 Hz) using the Hilbert transform. Group differences in eye movements and EEG activity were statistically assessed. <b>Results</b>: No significant group differences were observed in final position or response timing errors. However, time-series analysis showed that the Early SSG achieved earlier and more accurate eye positioning. EEG results revealed greater low beta activity in the Early SSG at electrode sites FC6 and P8, corresponding to the frontal eye field (FEF) and middle temporal (MT) visual area, respectively. <b>Conclusions</b>: Early execution of predictive saccades was associated with enhanced cortical activity in visuomotor and motion-sensitive regions. These findings suggest that early engagement of saccadic strategies supports more efficient visuospatial processing, with potential applications in dynamic physical tasks and digitally mediated performance domains such as eSports. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-55183de253f24329b708e187df9d049f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-55183de253f24329b708e187df9d049f2025-08-20T03:32:12ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-07-0115775010.3390/brainsci15070750Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival EstimationRyo Koshizawa0Kazuma Oki1Masaki Takayose2College of Economics, Nihon University, Tokyo 101-0061, JapanCollege of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Chiba 274-8501, JapanCollege of Industrial Technology, Nihon University, Chiba 275-8576, Japan<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Accurately predicting the arrival position of a moving target is essential in sports and daily life. While predictive saccades are known to enhance performance, the neural mechanisms underlying the timing of these strategies remain unclear. This study investigated how the timing of saccadic strategies—executed early versus late—affects cortical activity patterns, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG). <b>Methods</b>: Sixteen participants performed a task requiring them to predict the arrival position and timing of a parabolically moving target that became occluded midway through its trajectory. Based on eye movement behavior, participants were classified into an Early Saccade Strategy Group (SSG) or a Late SSG. EEG signals were analyzed in the low beta band (13–15 Hz) using the Hilbert transform. Group differences in eye movements and EEG activity were statistically assessed. <b>Results</b>: No significant group differences were observed in final position or response timing errors. However, time-series analysis showed that the Early SSG achieved earlier and more accurate eye positioning. EEG results revealed greater low beta activity in the Early SSG at electrode sites FC6 and P8, corresponding to the frontal eye field (FEF) and middle temporal (MT) visual area, respectively. <b>Conclusions</b>: Early execution of predictive saccades was associated with enhanced cortical activity in visuomotor and motion-sensitive regions. These findings suggest that early engagement of saccadic strategies supports more efficient visuospatial processing, with potential applications in dynamic physical tasks and digitally mediated performance domains such as eSports.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/7/750EEGlow beta oscillationsfrontal eye fieldmiddle temporal visual areapredictive saccades |
| spellingShingle | Ryo Koshizawa Kazuma Oki Masaki Takayose Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation Brain Sciences EEG low beta oscillations frontal eye field middle temporal visual area predictive saccades |
| title | Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation |
| title_full | Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation |
| title_fullStr | Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation |
| title_short | Neural Dynamics of Strategic Early Predictive Saccade Behavior in Target Arrival Estimation |
| title_sort | neural dynamics of strategic early predictive saccade behavior in target arrival estimation |
| topic | EEG low beta oscillations frontal eye field middle temporal visual area predictive saccades |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/7/750 |
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