Midterm 1 - Vision Flashcards
Lobes of the Brain

3 Types of Neurons

Entire Spectrum of Electromagnetic Radiation

Visible Spectrum of Electromagnetic Radiation
Violet (400), Blue (450), Green (500), Yellow (550), Red (600)

Human Eye Anatomy
(Picture)

Fovea
- Retinal region of highest visual acuity.
- Color sensitive cones are the only type of photoreceptor in the fovea.
- There’s a round spot that the axons don’t go through so that there can be better signal transmission.
Choiroid (Eye)
Back of retina.
Optic Disk
- Exit point from the retina of fibers of ganglion cells that form the optic nerve.
- Produces a blind spot because no photoreceptors.
Cones vs. Rods
Cones
- Fovea
- Moderate/High Levels of Light
- Color Vision (hue)
- Acuity
Rods
- Peripheral retina
- Low Levels of Light
- Monochromatic Information
- Poor Acuity
- Greater # of rods than cones in retina overall
3 Varieties of Cones
- Short - Blue
- Medium - Green
- Long - Red
There’s more than 3 colors so there must be an overlap between the different wavelengths. Colors are produced by a combination of different short, medium and long cones firing.
Physical Structure of Human Retina
(Type and Order of Cells)
Back of retina –> photoreceptors (rods & cones) –> horizontal cells –> bipolar cells –> amarcrine cells –> ganglion cells
<————– LIGHT

Flow of Information From Photoreceptors
- Photoreceptor (Rod, Cone)
* Horizontal Cells - Bipolar Cells
* Amarcrine Cells - Ganglion Cells
–> Optic Nerve
Horizontal Cells
Interconnects adjacent photoreceptors and outer processes of bipolar cells.
Amacrine Cells
Interconnects adjacent ganglion cells and inner processes of bipolar cells.
What Happens When Light Hits Photoreceptors?
- Rhodopsin splits into opsin & retinal
- Phosphodiesterase degrades cyclic AMP
- Na+ channels close
- Hyperpolarization of photoreceptor
- Inhibition of release of glutamate onto bipolar cells
- Bipolar cells depolarized
- Bipolar cells release glutamate
- If enough glutamate is released, the ganglion cell will fire
Action Potentials: Photoreceptors, Bipolar & Ganglion Cells
Ganglion cells are the first cells to actually fire (i.e., have an action potential). Photoreceptors and bipolar cells merely have graded potentials.
What Happens to Photoreceptors in the Dark?
AKA, “Dark Current”
Photoreceptors are depolarized (active) and release glutamate, causing a hyperpolarization of the bipolar cell.
Vision Cranial Nerves
(4)
II. Optic (leaves eye)
III. Oculomotor (works iris, pupil)
IV. Trochlear (moves eyes up and down)
VI. Abducens (moves eyes side-to-side)
Optic Pathway

Visual of 12 Cranial Nerves

Visual Pathway
Diagram 2

Deficits to Visual Fields Caused by Cuts In Visual Pathways

Where is the LGN & What Eye Does it Receive Information From?
The LGN is located in the thalamus of each side of the brain and each LGN receives information from 2 different eyes!
Nasal Retinas
Cross

