Wurtz, Goldberg, and Robinson showed that the firing rates of neurons in the parietal cortex are enhanced when an animal subsequently makes a saccade to a target within that neuron's receptive field. What is the explanation for this finding?

The increased activity prior to the saccade reflects a shift in attention to the stimulus inside that neuron's receptive field.

Explanation:

They observed that the neurological basis of attention, first made in the superior colliculus has been extended to a number of areas in both the dorsal and ventral streams.