Visual pathway
Visual Pathway
The Visual Pathway (pronunciation: /ˈvɪʒʊəl ˈpeɪθweɪ/) refers to the series of cells and synapses that carry visual information from the environment to the brain for processing.
Etymology
The term "Visual Pathway" is derived from the Latin "visus" meaning sight, and the Old English "path" meaning a way or track.
Structure
The visual pathway consists of several key components:
- Retina: The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. It acts like an artist's canvas, receiving the image produced by the lens.
- Optic Nerve: The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million nerve fibers that carry visual messages from the retina to the brain.
- Optic Chiasm: The optic chiasm is an X-shaped structure formed by the crossing of the optic nerves in the brain. It combines the visual information from both eyes.
- Optic Tract: The optic tract is a continuation of the optic nerve that relays visual information from the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate nucleus.
- Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN): The LGN is a relay center in the thalamus for the visual pathway. It receives major sensory input from the retina.
- Optic Radiation: The optic radiation, also known as the geniculocalcarine tract, carries visual information from the LGN to the primary visual cortex.
- Primary Visual Cortex: The primary visual cortex, also known as V1, is the region of the brain that processes visual information.
Function
The visual pathway functions to transmit visual information from the eyes to the brain. Light entering the eye strikes the retina, where it is converted into neural signals. These signals are then transmitted along the optic nerve to the optic chiasm, where they are combined and sent to the LGN via the optic tract. From the LGN, the signals are relayed to the primary visual cortex via the optic radiation, where they are processed into the images we see.
Related Terms
- Visual Field: The total area that can be seen when the eye is fixated straight ahead.
- Visual Acuity: The sharpness of vision, usually measured with the use of a Snellen chart.
- Visual Perception: The ability to interpret the surrounding environment by processing information contained in visible light.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Visual pathway
- Wikipedia's article - Visual pathway
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