Neurophysiology: Lecture 5: Non-Cortical Visual Pathways Flashcards
1
Q
Visual Pathways
- What becomes the Optic Nerve?
a. When do they become myelinated? - Optic Nerves partially cross where?
- Some axons leave the Optic Tract at Various levels to terminate where?
- Most axons continue in the Optic Tract to terminate in what location?
A
- Ganglion Cell Axons
a. After they pass through the Lamina Cribosa - At the Optic Chiasm to become the Optic Tract
- in other, Non-Cortical Areas
- In the LGN of the Thalamus, which projects to the Primary Visual Cortex
2
Q
Lamina Cribosa
- What gives a better view of the Lamina Cribosa?
A
- Loss of Retinal Nerve Fibers (like in Glaucoma. Grid is somewhat deformed)
3
Q
Oligodendrocytes
- What is it?
- What do they produce?
a. Made up of? - 1 can insulate what?
- Each one forms what?
A
- Glial cell in the CNS (like a Schwann Cell found in the PNS)
- Myelin sheaths that surround Axons
a. 80% lipid and 20% Protein - 50 Axons (About 1 micrometer of Myelin sheath is wrapped around each axons)
- 1 segment of myelin for several adjacent axons
4
Q
Myelination
- What does it do?
a. It Extends what?
b. What does it enable to occur? - What can damage it?
A
- Insulates Axon
a. Passive current flow
b. Saltatory Conduction of AP - Demyelinating Diseases like MS
5
Q
Myelinated Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer
- sometimes myelination will start where?
a. Or you could say what? - What can it do to the Blind spot?
- It may not be noticed by the patient if what?
A
- Anterior to the Lamina Cribosa
a. that it doesn’t stop at the Lamina Cribosa, from the Posterior perspective - It can enlarge it
- if it doesn’t infringe on the Posterior Pole
6
Q
Optic Nerve
- What does it consist of?
- Each nerve contains fibers from what?
a. Just before the OPtic Chiasm, there may be some fibers from the other eye that do what? - What visual fields are represented in each Optic Nerve?
A
- Myelinated axons of Retinal Ganglion Cells BEFORE they enter the Optic Chiasm
- from 1 eye
a. transit anteriorly after crossing before continuing posteriorly - Ipsilateral and Contralateral Visual Fields
7
Q
Optic Chiasm
- Nasal fibers cross where?
- What nasal fibers travel Slightly anteriorly after Crossing, then Proceed Posteriorly?
a. What is this called?
A
- At the Optic Chiasm
- Inferior Nasal Fibers
a. Wilbrand’s Knee
8
Q
The Optic Tract
- What are they?
- Both the right and left Optic Tracts contain what?
- Optic Tract projects to what?
A
- Myelinated axons of the REtinal ganglion CELLS AFTER they leave the Optic Chiasm, and are still the AXONS, as NO SYNAPSES have occurred since leaving the retina
- Fibers from BOTH eyes w/info from the Contralateral Visual Field
- to several Targets in the Midbrain and the Forebrain
9
Q
Non-Cortical Visual Pathway Targets
What are the 4?
A
- Accessory Optic System (AOS)
- Pretectum (PT)
- Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
- Superior Colliculus (SC)
10
Q
Mapping Neural Pathways
- What has been done to map it? (7)
* Look at Slide 12
A
- Anterograde Transport of aa’s
- Dyes
- Electrophysiology
- Functional Studies
- Gross Anatomy
- Lesion Studies
- Retrograde Transport of HRP
11
Q
Circadian Rhythms
- About how long?
- Entrained by what?
- Allows organism to do what?
- How many of ALL genes are expressed rhythmically in one or more tissues?
- Circadian Clocks implicated in what 4 things?
A
- About a day
- By Light, to allow organism to anticipate onset of day and/or night
- Monitor Length of Day, and to anticipate Yearly cycles
- About 1/2
- Sleep disorders, diabetes, cancer, bipolar disorder
12
Q
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
- Where is it in the brain?
a. Size? - What Neurons does it contain?
- Receives Visual Input from what?
a. Are these myelinated axons? - Where does it project to?
a. What do these areas control?
b. Provides what?
A
- Dorsal to the Optic Chiasm
a. About 0.5 mm in diameter - Autonomous Circadian Oscillators
- via the Retinohypothalamic Tract (RHT)
a. Unmelinated. Leave the optic tract AT the Optic Chiasm - To other hypothalamic Nuclei and the PINEAL GLAND
a. Body Temperature, and production of hormones like CORTISOL and MELATONIN
b. A Circadian Input
13
Q
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) (2)
Autonomous Circadian Oscillators
- What promotes transcription of Per and Cry family genes?
- What is needed for PER/CRY dimers to be produced and transported into the nucleus?
- What do PER/CRY dimers inhibit?
- When are PER and CRY degraded?
- What synchronizes other neurons to the Cycle?
A
- CLOCK/BMAL1 (other EFFECTOR genes are transcribed as well)
- Time
- Their own Transcription
- Over time. This leads to a New Cycle
- Gap Junctions
14
Q
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) (3)
Ganglion Cells Projecting to SCN
- SCN receives input from what cells?
a. What do those cells contain?
b. When do they show sustained firing?
c. their change in membrane potential (firing rate) is a function of what? - These cells may explain what?
A
- From Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (pRGC)
a. Melanopsin
b. In response to Light
c. of Light Intensity - The Persistence of Circadian Rhythms in humans lacking rods and cones (like in End Stage Retinitis Pigmentosa)
15
Q
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) (4)
Circadian Rhythms in Retinitis Pigmentosa
- What cells survive in this disease?
a. What degenrates? - What still occurs in this disease?
- Example?
A
- Retinal Ganglion Cells survive.
a. Photoreceptors degenerate - Entrainment of Circadian Rhythms
- Some sleep disturbances occur in late stage of this disease, overall, Sleep is Grossly Normal