Vision Flashcards
Retinofugal Projection
The pathway by which visual information exits the retina and travels toward the brain.
Optic Nerve
The bundle of axons from retinal ganglion cells that carries visual signals from the eye to the brain.
Optic Chiasm
The structure where the optic nerves from both eyes partially cross, allowing visual information from the left and right visual fields to be processed in opposite hemispheres of the brain.
Decussation
The crossing of nerve fibers from one side of the body to the other, such as in the optic chiasm.
Optic Tract
The continuation of the optic nerve after the optic chiasm, carrying visual information to brain regions like the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN).
Visual Hemifield
Half of the visual field, either left or right, processed by the opposite hemisphere of the brain.
Binocular Visual Field
The part of the visual field that is seen by both eyes, allowing for depth perception.
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)
A structure in the thalamus that receives visual information from the retina and relays it to the primary visual cortex.
Optic Radiation
The collection of axons that carry visual information from the LGN to the primary visual cortex.
Superior Colliculus
A structure in the midbrain involved in coordinating eye movements and visual attention.
Optic Tectum
Another name for the superior colliculus in non-mammalian species, involved in processing visual information and controlling eye movements.
Retinotectal Projection
The direct pathway from the retina to the superior colliculus, involved in reflexive eye movements.
Magnocellular LGN Layer
The layer of the LGN that receives input from M-type ganglion cells, processing motion and fast-changing stimuli.
Parvocellular LGN Layer
The layer of the LGN that receives input from P-type ganglion cells, processing fine details and color.
Koniocellular LGN Layer
A layer of small neurons in the LGN that receives input from nonM-nonP ganglion cells, involved in color processing.
Primary Visual Cortex
Also called V1, this is the first cortical area that processes visual information from the LGN.
Area 17
Another name for the primary visual cortex based on its classification in Brodmann’s cortical mapping.
V1
A shorthand term for the primary visual cortex.
Striate Cortex
Another name for V1, referring to the distinct striations seen in its anatomy.
Retinotopy
The spatial organization of visual input in the brain, preserving the layout of the retina.
Ocular Dominance Column
A region in V1 where neurons respond more strongly to input from one eye over the other.
Cytochrome Oxidase Blob
Clusters of neurons in V1 involved in processing color information.
Binocular Receptive Field
A receptive field that responds to input from both eyes, important for depth perception.
Orientation Selectivity
The property of neurons in V1 that makes them respond preferentially to edges or lines of a specific orientation.
Orientation Column
A vertical column of neurons in V1 that share the same orientation preference.
Direction Selectivity
The tendency of certain neurons to respond more strongly to motion in a particular direction.
Simple Cell
A type of neuron in V1 that responds to edges or bars of light with specific ON and OFF regions.
Complex Cell
A neuron in V1 that responds to oriented edges but does not have distinct ON and OFF regions, making it more flexible in detecting stimuli.
Cortical Module
A unit of the visual cortex that contains all the necessary neurons to analyze a small portion of the visual field.
Area MT (V5)
A higher visual processing area involved in motion detection and direction selectivity.
Area V4
A visual area involved in processing color and shape perception.
Area IT (Inferotemporal Cortex)
A part of the visual cortex that is crucial for object recognition and face perception.
