Visual Pathways
OUTLINE
I. Anatomy of the Eyes and Optics
II. Visual Pathways
III. Visual Field
A. Visual Field Defects
IV. Visual Reflex Pathway
A. Pupilary Light Reflex
B. Accommodation Reflex
C. Pupilary Dilatation
V. Visual Pathways II
A. Extraocular Muscles
B. Cranial Nerves Concerned in Eye Movements
C. EOMs Innervation
D. Neural Bases of Extraocular Movement
E. Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
F. Saccadic System
G. Dolls Eye Reflex
Pathway:
1. Receptor Photoreceptors: Rods and cones
2. N1 bipolar neurons (Retina)
3. N2 ganglion cells(Retina)
Axons of ganglion cell becomes the optic nerve. Fibers that
arise from retina eventually goes to the Lateral Geniculate
Body. (hearing and vetibular sys. medial geniculate body)
Retinogeniculate fibers: (1)will form the optic nerve (2) join the
optic chiasm (3) go to the optic tract
Note: A small number of axons terminate in the
suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (circadian
rhythm).
4. N3 Lateral Geniculate Body (LGB) of the Thalamus
Lateral projections at the LGB-Meyers Loop
Geniculocalcarine (from LGB to Calcarine cortex)
geniculostriate fibers or optic radiation
Optical Tract ending in this prominence
or
Note: The area of the cortex that receives the optic radiations
surrounds the calcarine fissure on the medial side of the occipital
lobe. The cuneus, the gyrus above the calcarine fissure receives
visual impulses from the upper quadrants of the retina / upper optic
radiation. The lingual gyrus below the calcarine fissure receives
visual impulses from the lower quadrants of the retina.
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VF
RF
Fig 3: Visual Field
Lesions in the Visual Pathway: Lesions along the pathway from the
eye to the visual cortex result in deficits in the visual fields shown
as black areas on the corresponding visual field diagram.
Table 1. Lesions
LESION
A. (R) Optic Nerve
B. Optic Chiasm
C. (R) Angle Of
Chiasm
D. (R) Optic Tract
DEFECT
(R) Eye Blindness
Denervate the retina that will affect
both temporal and nasal fibers forming
the optic nerve
Bitemporal Homonymous Hemianopsia
Affects the right and left nasal retinal
fibers. After the chiasm, everything is
made up of the same fibers.
(R) Nasal Hemianopsia
Affects the right temporal retinal fibers
Contralateral Homonymous
Hemianopsia Affects right temporal
retinal fibers and the left nasal retinal
fibers
(L) Homonymous Hemianopsia
(L) Homonymous Superior Quadrantic
Anopsia
(L) Homonymous Inferior Quadrantic
Anopsia
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Pretectum
(Posterior Commissure)
Edinger-Westphal nucleus
Oculomotor nerve
Ciliary ganglion
Sphincter pupillae
B. ACCOMODATION REFLEX
Accommodation
o Occurs when focusing on near objects
Group 8 ! |, , , , , G. J. & R.,
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o miosis-pupil constriction
o lens becoming more globular or more convex-contraction of
ciliary muscle that causes relaxation of suspensory ligament of
the lens
o ocular convergence- contraction of medial rectus
C. PUPILARY DILATATION
1. Due to low intensity light:
Impulses from retina go to optic tract
Superior Colliculus
Pathway:
Area 17
Areas 18 and 19
Optic radiation
Superior colliculus
Pretectal area
Edinger-Westphal nucleus
Ciliary ganglion
(CN III)
NOTE: Long ciliary nerve (sympathetic fibers) vs. Short ciliary nerve
(parasympathetic fibers)
Episcleral ganglion
Ciliary ms.
(more convex lens)
CN III nucleus
(Medial rectus)
-convergence
Sphincter pupillae
-contraction papillary ms.
Skip LGB does not need fibers of the Meyers Loop and Optic
Radiation
Will pass through the visual cortex because the person voluntary
looks at the object
Nucleus of Perlia one of the nuclei of the oculomotor nuclear
complex stimulated other than the Edinger-Westphal nucleus
during accommodation, responsible for ocular convergence.
Alternate Pathway for the Accommodation Reflex
o Impulses from area 18 and 19 go to the motor cortex of the
frontal lobe through the superior longitudinal fasciculus,
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eye closure
b)
Superior colliculus
tectospinal or reticulospinal tract
Reticular formation
V. VISUAL PATHWAYS II
CONJUGATE MOVEMENTS
Movements
o Lateral gaze
o Vertical gaze upward
o Vertical gaze downward
To permit accurate conjugate movements, the 12 EOMs, their 6
cranial nerves and nuclei and the MLF must operate as a unit
Lesion: diplopia or double vision
A. EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLES
Muscle
Superior Rectus
Inferior Rectus
Superior Oblique
Inferior Oblique
Medial Rectus
Lateral Rectus
Levator
Palpebrae
Superioris
Action(s)
Elevation,Adduction,Intorsion
Depression,Adduction,Extorsion
Abduction,Depression,Intorsion
Abduction, Elevation, Extorsion
Adduction
Abduction
Elevation of Upper Eyelid
Nerve
CN III
CN III
CN IV
CN III
CN III
CN VI
CN III
REVIEW:
o All muscles are innervated by CN III except: Superior Oblique (CN
IV) and Lateral Rectus (CN VI)
o All recti muscles are adductors except LR w/c is an abductor
o All obliques are abductors including LR
o All superior muscles are intorters
o All inferior muscles are extorters
o SO & IR are depressors
o IO and SR are elevators
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C. EOMs INNERVATION
Oculomotor Nerve
o superior rectus
o inferior rectus
o inferior oblique
o medial rectus
o levator palpebrae superioris
Trochlear Nerve
o superior oblique
Abducens Nerve
o lateral rectus
Fig 10: Neural Bases of Extraocular Movement
F. SACCADIC SYSTEM
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