Exam III Flashcards
when light enters the eye, what happens?
the light is INVERTED and REVERSED
how do the superior and inferior visual fields project onto the retina?
(1) superior: projects onto the lower retina
(2) inferior: projects onto the upper retina
how do the right and left visual fields project onto the retina?
(1) right: left side of the retina
(2) left: right side of the retina
where does the normal visual field extend?
it extends more to the periphery than it does medially (or toward our nose), and extends more inferiorly than superiorly
what is the central fixation for each eye?
fovea
what area of the retina has the highest visual acuity?
fovea
what surrounds the fovea?
macula
what forms the optic disc?
axons leaving the retina
where is the blind spot located in the eye
where the optic disc is; 15 degrees lateral and slightly inferior to the central fixation point
what are the 3 layers of the retina? what is found in each layer?
(1) outermost: contains photoreceptors (rods and cones)
(2) middle: bipolar cells
(3) innermost: ganglion cells (parasol and midget cells)
where do the photoreceptors synapse?
bipolar cells
where are the cones primarily located? what is their function?
(1) fovea and macula
(2) high resolution visual images and color
where are the rods primarily located? what is their function?
(1) periphery of the retina
(2) vision in low light; provide low resolution visual images, and do NOT detect color
what is the function of the bipolar cells?
(1) receive input from the photoreceptors
(2) send input to ganglion cells
what do parasol cells respond to? what can be said about the size of their cell bodies and diameter of their fibers?
(1) gross stimulus features and movement
(2) LARGE cell bodies and LARGE diameter
where do parasol cells project to?
magnocellular layers of the LGN (lateral geniculate nucleus) of the thalamus
what do midget cells respond to? what can be said about the size of their cell bodies and diameter of their fibers?
(1) fine visual details and colors
(2) SMALL cell bodies and SMALL diameter
where do midget cells project to?
parvocellular layers of the LGN of the thalamus
where does the optic nerve receive input from?
retinal ganglion cells
what information is carried by the optic nerve?
(1) the entire visual field for the right eye is carried in the right optic nerve
(2) the entire visual field for the left eye is carried in the left optic nerve
what fibers cross in the optic chiasm?
nasal fibers (responsible for the lateral part of our vision)
what information does the RIGHT optic tract carry?
(1) info from the right side of the retina in the right eye
(2) info from the right side of the retina in the left eye
what would damage to the optic tract result in?
contralateral homonymous hemianopsia
what would damage to the optic chiasm result in?
bitemporal hemianopsia (AKA tunnel vision)
what do the optic tracts wrap around? where do they synapse?
(1) midbrain
(2) LGN of the thalamus
the RIGHT LGN recieves infromation from what visual field?
left visual field (right hemiretinas of both eyes)
which layers are the magnocellular layers of the LGN? where do these layers recieve input from?
(1) Layers 1-2
(2) parasol cells of the retina
which layers are the parvocellular layers of the LGN? where do these layers recieve input from?
(1) Layers 3-6
(2) midget cells of the retina
a minority of fibers in the optic tract bypass the LGN and enter what areas of the thalamus? what pathway does this form?
(1) superior colliculus AND pretectal area
(2) extrageniculate visual pathways
what area of the thalamus is involved with the pupillary light reflex?
pretectal areas
what areas of the thalamus is involved in directing visual attention and eye movements toward visual stimuli?
(1) pretectal areas
(2) superior colliculus
what are optic radiations?
axons leaving the LGN that sweep over the lateral ventricle and fan out to the Primary Visual Cortex
what would damage to the optic radiations result in?
homonymous contrateral visual field loss
left optic radiations carry information from what side of the body?
right side
right optic radiations carry information from what side of the body?
left side
the inferior optic radiations carry information from where?
SUPERIOR VISUAL FIELD
the superior optic radiations carry information from where?
INFERIOR VISUAL FIELD
damage to the temporal lobe causing damage to meyer’s loop (inferior optic radiations) results in what?
contralateral superior quadrantanopia (pie in the sky)
where do superior optic radiations terminate?
upper bank of the calcarine fissure
where do inferior optic radiations terminate?
lower bank of the calcarine fissure
damage to the parietal lobe that caused damage to the superior optic radiations results in what?
contralateral inferior quadrantanopia (pie on the floor)
where is the primary visual cortex?
upper and lower banks of the calcarine fissure
what is the name of the upper bank of the calcarine fissure?
cuneus
what is the name of the lower bank of the calcarine fissure?
lingula
where are the fovea and macula represented in the brain?
occipital pole of calcarine fissure
where is peripheral vision represented in the brain?
anterior along calcarine fissure
where in the higher-order visual association cortex do the magnocellular parasol cells transmit?
DORSAL PATHWAYS
dorsolateral parieto-occipital cortex
where in the higher-order visual association cortex do the parcocellular and interlaminar midget cells transmit?
VENTRAL PATHWAYS
inferior occiptiotemporal cortex
in regards to visual processing, what do the dorsal pathways transmit?
motion and spatial analysis
in regards to visual processing, what do the ventral pathways transmit?
form and color
what is often used to measure visual acuity?
Snellen eye chart (at 20 feet)
what are the two divisions of visual disturbances?
(1) negative phenomena: region of vision a person can’t see
2) positive phenomena: extra things are added to the visual field (lights, colors, shapes
what is a formed positive phenomena? where in the brain does this phenomena arise?
(1) visual hallucinations
(2) inferior temporo-occipital visual association cortex
what is release phenomena?
occurs in patients who have undergone visual deprivation where they see people, animals in the region of visual loss
what would cause a right monocular visual loss?
(1) lesion to the right optic nerve (or lesion of entire retina)
(2) glaucoma, optic neuritis, tumors, trauma
what would cause a scotoma?
(1) damage to small part of the retina
(2) retinal infarcts, hemorrhages, degeneration, infections
what would cause a bitemporal hemianopsia?
(1) lesion to the optic chiasm
(2) pituitary adenoma, hypothalamic glioma, tumor pressing on the optic chiasm
what would cause contralateral homonymous hemianopsia?
(1) lesion to the optic tract, LGN; wiped out entire optic radiations or primary visual cortex
(2) tumors, infarct to artery, demyleniation to tracts or radiations
what would cause contralateral inferior quadrantanopia?
(1) lesion to superior optic radiations or superior upper bank of the calcarine fissure
(2) infarct to blood supply (superior division of MCA or PCA)
what would cause contralateral superior quadrantanopia?
(1) lesion to inferior optic radiations superior and lower bank of the calcarine fissure
(2) infarct to an artery
what is macular sparing?
where partial lesions to the visual field occur where the central (fovea / macula) visual field is spared
what would cause a central scotoma?
(1) a lesion to just the occipital pole (fovea and macular area)
(2) head injury to the back of the head at bottom of the occiput
what is the primary source of blood flow for the retina?
opthalmic artery
what are 3 possible causes for reduced blood flow to the retina?
(1) embolus
(2) stenosis
(3) vasculitis
what are the 2 main branches of the retinal artery
(1) superior branch
(2) inferior branch
an occlusion of the the superior or inferior branch of the retinal artery can cause what?
altitudinal scotoma
what is an amaurosis fugax? how does it present?
(1) transient occlusion of the superior or inferior branch of retinal artery
(2) patients report browning out (shade being pulled over eye)
what is an amaurosis fugax a warning sign for?
similar to a TIA (but for the eye); a common cause is an ipsilateral stenosis of the internal carotid artery
what supplies blood flow to the optic nerves, optic chiasm, and optic tracts?
numerous small branches off ACA and MCA (rarely see clinically significant infarcts)
what supplies blood to the LGN? what decificts might present with a lesion to this area?
(1) anterior choroidal artery, PCA, thalamogeniculate artery
(2) contralateral homonymous hemianopsia and contralteral hemiparesis
what lobe do the superior optic radiations pass through? which arteries supply blood to this structure?
(1) parietal lobe
(2) superior divisions of the MCA