Visual System Part 2 Flashcards
Lateral geniculate nucleus
takes information from retinal ganglions and send it to the visual cortex
may also send information to other parts of the brain: blindsight
Suprachiasmatic nucleus
regulates wake/dark cycle
sends information to pineal gland
Pretectum
controls pupil size
Superior colliculus
controls eye movements
Fixation points
area of interests the eyes move to
Saccades
rapid ballistic movements
smooth pursuit
following moving objects
vergence
distance adjustments
vestibular-ocular
adjustment for head movements
Eye tracking
identifies what eyes look at
How is eyetracking useful for neuroscience
allows a very precise motor movement
no body movement
can be performed with skull exposed
Optic chiasm
where nerves coss
What is the order for when light enters the eye
axons cross over in the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate nuclei and then up to the primary visual cortex, then the secondary cortex, and finally the extrastriate cortex
where does information from the left visual field go?
the right thalamus and visual cortex
Where does information from upper visual field go?
to lower ventral parts of visual cortex
Where does information from central/foveal visual field go?
posterior visual cortex
How is the LGN organized?
in 6 layers
Magnocellular cells
Layer 1 and 2
Big and fast cells
mainly detects movement and is made up of mostly rods
Parvocellular cells
Layer 4-6
Small and slow cells
mainly detects colour, patterns,and detail and is made up of mostly cones
Koniocellular cells
in between layers and receives information from blue cones
Which layers are ipsilateral
1,4,6
Which layers are contralateral
2,3,5
What’s the point of LGN
its the first point where information from both eyes are combined
visual receptive fields grow at this point and thus they get the bigger pictures from all the fields
Visual radiation
band of tissues leaving the LGN and going to the visual cortex