Visual Tracts Flashcards
1
Q
- What are the components of the visual pathway
A
- Axons of ganglion cells and the axons of higher order cells on which they synapse
2
Q
- Visual pathway has what type of fiber arrangement?
- Is this maintained throughout the pathway?
A
- Retinotopic
- Yes
3
Q
- Define visual field
A
- Area person sees when both eyes are fixed in a certain position
4
Q
- Define retinal field
A
- Light from visual field that travels through pupil and creates an image on the retina (what the retina sees)
5
Q
- The object of attention is focused on what anatomical structures?
- What lies just medial to these structures?
A
- Fovea centralis and macula lutea
- Just medial to the macula is the optic disc, which forms our blind spot (no photoreceptors in this region, because this is where retinal axons are leaving the eye as the optic nerve)
6
Q
- What are the zones of visual fields? What type of information do they contain?
A
-
Binocular zone
- Broad central region seen by both eyes
-
Monocular zone (R/L)
- Seen only by one eye (hence the name)
7
Q
- Retinal field
- Visual fields are divided into _
- Each of these are divided into _
A
- Retinal fields (location on retina that object in visual field is projected)
- Each visual field-divided into retinal hemifields (Nasal-medial and temporal- lateral halves of a retina)
- Each hemifield divided into upper and lower quadrants
8
Q
- Are visual system lesions described in terms of retinal or visual fields?
A
- Visual
9
Q
- The left half of a visual field forms an image on the _ half of the left retina and the _ half of the right retina
- The right half of the visual field forms an image on the _ half of the left retina and _ half of the right retina
A
- Left half of a visual image
- Nasal half of left retina
- Temporal half of right retina
- Right half of a visual image
- Nasal half of right retina
- Temporal half of left retina
10
Q
- Where do the two optic nerves partially decussate?
- How do they decussate?
A
- Optic chiasm
- Nasal half of each retina-projects to contralateral optic tract
- Temporal half of each retina-ipsilateral optic tract
- This helps with depth perception
11
Q
- What forms the optic tract?
A
- FIbers from temporal retina of ipsilateral eye
- Fibers from nasal retina of contralateral eye
12
Q
- Where does the optic tract terminate?
- How many layers does this nucleus have?
- How do they terminate?
- Ventral base of this nucleus formed by _
- Dorsal and lateral bases of this nucleus formed by _
A
- LGN of the thalamus
- 6
- Retinotopically
- Ventral base-fibers from incoming optic tract (retinogeniculate fibers)
- Dorsal and lateral bases of LGN-outgoing optic radiations
13
Q
- Magnocellular (M) layers of LGN
A
- Layers 1 and 2 (Ventral)
- Contain large cells
- Receive inputs relaying from rods (larger receptive fields and thick and fast axons)
- Sensitive to moving stimuli
14
Q
- Parvocellular (P) Layers of LGN
A
- Layers 3-6 (Dorsal)
- Small cells
- Inputs from cones
- Small receptive fields and slower conducting . axons sensitive to STATIONARY stimuli (high acuity color vision)
15
Q
- Where do ganglion cell axons from temporal axon go in the LGN of the thalamus?
A
- Remember that temporal retina ganglion cells stay ipsilateral
- Project to IPSILATERAL LGN (Layers 2,3,5)
Example (looking at right visual field)
-Left temporal: projects to left LGN (2,3 and 5)
Example (looking at left visual field)
-Right temporal: projects to right LGN (2,3 and 5)
16
Q
- Where do ganglion cell axons from nasal retina terminate in the LGN?
A
- Nasal fibers cross
- so will terminate in CONTRALATERAL LGN (Specifically 1,4 and 6)
Example (looking at right visual field)
-Right nasal fibers-layers 1,4 and 6 of left LGN
Example (looking at left visual field)
-Left nasal fibers-layers 1, 4 and 6 of LGN
17
Q
What are optic radiations?
What is another name for this pathway?
A
Secondary neurons from LGN that are relaying information to the primary visual cortex (striate cortex) [on upper and lower banks of calcarine sulcus]
Genticulostriate/genticulocalcarine
18
Q
- How are optic radiations divided?
A
- Fibers from lower quadrant of contralateral hemifields target superior bank of calcarine sulcus/cuneus
- Fibers from upper quadrant of contralateral hemifields target inferior bank of calcarine sulcus/lingual gyrus
- Fibers conveying information from macula and fovea originate from central regions of LGN and pass to caudal visual cortex
19
Q
Temporal damage can lead to a _ visual field deficit
A
- Superior (Meyer’s loop)
20
Q
- How is the macula represented in the LGN/Visual Cortex?
A
- Disproportionately large volumes relative to its size
- Represented on posterior aspect of occipital lobe