Neurology of the visual system Flashcards
Summarise the visual pathway
Visual pathway: transmit signal from eye to visual cortex
Optic nerve: contains ganglion nerve fibres
Optic chiasm: half of fibres cross here
Optic tract: ganglion nerve fibres exit as tract
Lateral geniculate nucleus: fibres synapse at LGN
Optic radiation: 4th order neurones that connect to primary visual/striate cortexes (occipital lobe)
Also the extra-striate cortex
Describe the visual pathway in the retina
• First Order Neurons
–Rod and Cone Retinal Photoreceptors
• Second Order Neurons – Retinal Bipolar Cells
• Third Order Neurons – Retinal Ganglion Cells
– Optic Nerve (CN II)
– Partial Decussation at Optic Chiasma
–53% of ganglion fibres cross the midline
– Optic Tract
What is important to remember about the optic tract
Once past the optic chiasm, the ganglion cell axons on each side form the optic tract. Thus, the optic tract, unlike the optic nerve, contains fibres from both eyes.
What is the destination of the optic tract
• Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) in Thalamus – to relay visual information to Visual Cortex
Describe the purpose of the decussation at the optic chiasm
The partial decussation of the ganglion cell axons at the optic chiasm allows information from corresponding points on two retinas to be processed by approximately the same cortical site in each hemisphere.
Where is the optic nerve formed
Ganglion cell axons exit the retina through a circular region in its nasal part called the optic disk (or optic papilla), where they bundle together to form the optic nerve.
Axons in the optic nerve run a straight course to the optic chiasm at the base of the diencephalon.
Why do we need a receptive field
Photoreceptors firing all the time
So we need an on/off system
On- this photoreceptor stimulated- surrounding ganglion cells inhibited- but the retinal ganglion in light path stimulated
Off- some ganglion cells off- surroundings on
Allows us to perceive the contrast and shape of object- according to which part of hit.
Summarise what is meant by a receptive field
- Receptive Field of a Neuron –Retinal space within which incoming light can alter the firing pattern of a neuron
- Photoreceptor –a small circular space surrounding the photoreceptor
- Retinal Ganglion Cell – Input from neighbouring photoreceptors (convergence
Describe the convergence of the receptive field
• Convergence –Number of lower order neurons field synapsing on the same higher order neuron
• Cone System Convergence > Rod System Convergence
• Central Retina Convergence > Peripheral Retina Convergence
• Low Convergence – Small Receptive Field – Fine Visual Acuity – Low Light Sensitivity
• High Convergence – Large Receptive Field – Coarse Visual Acuity – High Light Sensitivity
This is why visual acuity is greatest at the fovea (one retinal ganglion cell synapses with one bipolar cell)
Further away from fovea- more photoreceptors feed into retinal ganglion cells
Also why you it’s easier to spot movement in the periphery- as the light will be detected by many photoreceptors which then synapse with many more ganglion cells- whereas in central vison- the object has to move from one photoreceptos to the next to be recognised as movement.
What can retinal ganglion cells be divided into and why is this division important
Retinal Ganglion Cells –can be divided into On-Centre and Off Centre
Important for – Contrast Sensitivity – Enhanced Edge Detection
We know something is happening at that point- because nothing is happening around it (relative difference between photoreceptors that are firing ant those that aren’t).
Describe on centre ganglion cells
– stimulated by light at the centre of the receptive field – Inhibited by light on the edge of the receptive field
Describe off centre ganglion cells
– Inhibited by light at the centreof the receptive field
– Stimulated by light on the edge of the receptive field
Why is the visual system complicated
Need x,y,z perception
Colour perception
Depth perception
Movement perception (peripheral and central)
Summarise the optic chiasma
- Optic Chiasma–Important Landmark in Visual Pathway • Lesions anterior to Optic Chiasma affect visual field in one eye only
- Lesions posterior to Optic Chiasma affect visual field in both eyes
- 53% Ganglion Fibrescross at Optic Chiasma
Where do the crossed and uncrossed fibres of the optic chiasma originate from
- Crossed Fibres–originating from nasal retina, responsible for temporal visual field
- Uncrossed Fibres–originating from temporal retina, responsible for nasal visual field
Where is the right visual hemisphere processed
For example, the right visual hemisphere is processed in the left visual cortex, but is constructed from the temporal (outside) portion of the left retina and the nasal (inside) portion of the right eye (Fig. 8.12). Clearly the nasal fibres will need to cross over so they can project onto the contralateral thalamus; this process occurs in the optic chiasm, which lies in front of the pituitary stalk
Summarise our central visual field
The central portion of the visual world can be viewed with both eyes separately. This corresponds to the binocular region and explains how we can see, for instance, a small nasal portion of the left hemifield when we close our left eye
Where will inferior and superior meridians hit the retina
Inferior meridians will hit the top of the retina
Superior meridians will hit the bottom of the retina
Like a camera
So all images of the retina will be inverted and upside down.
So if image hits nasal part of retina- person will see it on temporal side- why decussation is important.
Describe our visual field
Each retina and its corresponding visual field are divided into quadrants. In this scheme, vertical and horizontal lines that intersect at the centre of the fovea, subdivide the surface of the retina.
The vertical line divides the retina into temporal and nasal divisions, and the horizontal line divides the retina into superior and inferior divisions.
Corresponding vertical and horizontal meridians intersect at the point of fixation (the point of visual space that falls onto the fovea) and define the quadrants of the visual field.
Describe the crossing of light rays diverging from different points on an object
The crossing of light rays diverging from different points on an object at the pupil cause the images of objects in the visual field to be inverted and left-right reversed on the retinal surface. As a result, objects in the temporal part of the visual field are seen by the nasal part of the retina, and objects in the superior part of the visual field are seen by the inferior surface of the retina.
Compare the binocular and monocular visual fields
With both eyes open, the two foveas normally align on a single target in visual space, causing the visual fields of both eyes to overlap extensively. This binocular field consists of two symmetrical visual hemidfields (left and right). The left binocular hemifield includes the nasal visual field of the right eye and the temporal visual field of the left eye.
The temporal visual fields are more extensive than the nasal visual fields, reflecting the sizes of the nasal and temporal visual fields respectively.
As a result, vision in the periphery of the field of view is strictly monocular, mediated by the most medial portion of the nasal retina (remember temporal retina is responsible for nasal vision)
Describe how the shape of the face and nose affect the extent of the region of binocular vision
In particular, the inferior nasal visual fields, and consequently the binocular field of view is smaller in the lower visual field than the upper.
Describe visual field defects at the level of the optic chiasma
• Lesion at Optic Chiasma
– Damages crossed ganglion fibres from nasal retina in both eyes
– Temporal Field Deficit in Both Eyes –Bitemporal Hemianopia
Describe visual field defects posterior to the level of the optic chiama
• Lesion Posterior to Optic Chiasma
– Right sided lesion –Left Homonymous Hemianopia in Both Eyes (can’t see nasal vision of right eye or temporal vision of left eye)
– Left sided lesion –Right Homonymous Hemianopia in Both Eyes (can’t see nasal vision of left eye or temporal vision of right)
Summarise bitemporal hemianopia
– Typically caused by enlargement of Pituitary Gland Tumour
– Pituitary Gland sits under Optic Chiasma
Nasal fibres can’t cross- so lose temporal vision on both eyes
Summarise homonymous hemianopia
– Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)
Macular sparing homonymous hemianopia: damage to primary visual cortex due to stroke, leading to contralateral homonymous hemianopia - macular area supplied by PCAs so spared
All fibres coming from the right (and so represented on the left cortex) travel in one tract now
Describe visual lesions anterior the optic chiasm
monocular blindness
Summarise visual field defects
Visual field defects: defects that don’t cross horizontal lines tend to be within the eye (ganglion cell or optic neuritis, glaucoma, or eyelid low- peripheral), defects that don’t cross vertical lines tend to be neurological (bitemporal hemianopia)
Describe right nasal hemianopia
External part of chiasm affected
Can’t see nasal vision of right eye
Binasal visual defect uncommon- unlikely to have compressing mass on both hemispheres.
Describe quadrantanopia
Fibres start spreading out- to reach the right portion of occipital cortex
Further back lesion is- smaller defect is
Tract widens- so bigger insult needed to effect all of the tract- so smaller homonymous quadrantanopia.
Describe injuries at the level of the occipital cortex
Macula sparing homonymous hemianopia- central vision spared- biggest representation on occipital cortex.
Unless the injury is massive.
Where is the primary visual cortex found, describe its key properties
• Primary Visual Cortex – Situated along Calcarine Sulcus within Occipital Lobe
– Also known as Striate Cortex
– Characterized by a distinct stripe derived from the myelinated fibre of the Optic Radiation projecting into the Visual Cortex
Describe the representation of images in the visual cortex
– Disproportionately large area representing the macula – Superior Visual Field projects to below the Calcarine Fissure
– Inferior Visual Field projects to above the Calcarine Fissure
– Right Hemifield from both eyes projects to Left Primary Visual Cortex
– Left Hemifield from both eyes projects to Right Primary Visual Cortex