{
  "abstract": "Saccadic suppression, a reduction in visual sensitivity around the time of rapid eye movements, is well-documented in primate psychophysics, but its mechanisms and functions remain debated. Here, we use zebrafish to trace the origins of saccadic suppression, and we demonstrate how saccadic suppression selectively enhances the visual salience of ecologically relevant stimuli. Saccadic suppression thus contributes to more than just compensation for rapid saccade-induced image shifts. We first established a behavioral correlate of saccadic suppression in larval zebrafish escape behavior. Then, using electrophysiology, we show that retinal ganglion cells jumpstart saccadic suppression in a spatial frequency-dependent manner. Calcium imaging, combined with 360° visual stimulation and behavioral tracking, revealed that motor signals enhance peri-saccadic suppression strength in the optic tectum, where suppression lasts for more than 3,000 ms. Notably, saccadic suppression is much weaker and more short-lived for stimuli related to hunting or escape behavior than for behaviorally less relevant global flashes. This unequal attenuation effectively increases the salience of the ecologically relevant stimuli in the optic tectum after saccades. Our results demonstrate that saccadic suppression integrates visual and motor signals to optimize sensory processing within neural constraints, and they provide insights into evolutionarily conserved visual strategies.\n\nSaccadic suppression, wherein visual sensitivity is reduced around eye movement windows, has an unclear functional explanation. This study traces long-lasting saccadic suppression within the zebrafish visual system and presents evidence suggesting that it may enhance the salience of hunting- or escape-related stimuli.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany",
    "Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Giulia Soto"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Carina Thomas"
    },
    {
      "name": "Louis Funk"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tim C. Hladnik"
    },
    {
      "name": "Florian A. Dehmelt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ziad M. Hafed"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aristides B. Arrenberg"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xe6wd8vw11h5.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093",
  "id": "3xe6wd8vw11h5",
  "issns": [
    "1545-7885"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Ocular system/Ocular anatomy/Retina"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Neurons"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Neurons/Afferent neurons/Retinal ganglion cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Neurons/Ganglion cells/Retinal ganglion cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Neurons/Motor neurons"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Life cycles/Larvae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cellular neuroscience/Neurons"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cellular neuroscience/Neurons/Afferent neurons/Retinal ganglion cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cellular neuroscience/Neurons/Ganglion cells/Retinal ganglion cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cellular neuroscience/Neurons/Motor neurons"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Vision"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Sensory perception/Vision"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Sensory systems/Visual system/Eye movements"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Fish/Osteichthyes/Zebrafish"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Sensory physiology/Visual system/Eye movements"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Vision"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Fish/Osteichthyes/Zebrafish"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Ocular system/Ocular anatomy/Retina"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Animal models/Zebrafish"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Zebrafish"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Zebrafish"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Vision"
    ]
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  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xe6wd8vw11h5.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:20:11Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004093"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Saccadic suppression enhances saliency of ecologically relevant stimuli in the zebrafish optic tectum",
  "title_text": "Saccadic suppression enhances saliency of ecologically relevant stimuli in the zebrafish optic tectum",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:20:43Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xe6wd8vw11h5",
  "venue": "PLOS Biology",
  "versions": []
}