VISUAL PATHWAY • Heteronymous hemianopia – affects

either both outer peripheral halves of the

 Pathway consists of the series of
cells and synapses that carry visual
information from the environment to
the brain for processing.
 It includes the retina, optic
nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract,
lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN),
optic radiations, and striate corte
(PVC) Primary Visual Cortex.
Visual Field Representation
•TOTAL VISUAL FIELD - sum of the
right and left hemifields; consists of a
binocular zone and 2 monocular zone.
•Each hemifield is projected onto the
nasal hemiretina of the ipsilateral eye
and temporal hemiretina of the
contralateral eye.
visual field (bi-temporal hemianopia) or
both inner halves of the visual field (bi-
nasal hemianopia).
• Homonymous hemianopia – a field
loss deficit in the same halves of the
visual field of each eye.
• Contralateral – relating to or denoting
the side of the body opposite to that on
which a particular structure or condition
occurs.
• Ipsilateral – belonging to or occurring
on the same side of the body.
• Nucleus – a nucleus is a membrane-
bound organelle that contains the cell's
chromosomes.
•Circadian Rhythm – the 24-hour
internal clock in our brain that regulates
cycles of alertness and sleepiness by
responding to light changes in our
environment.

Definition of terms:
• Hemifield – one of two halves of a
sensory field (as of vision) the parts of
each visual hemifield that can be seen
with both eyes.
• Hemianopia – a clinical term used to
describe the loss of one half of a vertical
visual field.
 RETINA
Projects to the 4 subcortical regions in
the brain
•1st order neurons - NEURAL
EPITHELIUM OF THE RODS AND
CONES
• 2nd conducting nerve cell/neuron –
BIPOLAR CELLS
• 3rd conducting neuron – Ganglion
Cells

SUBCORTICAL REGIONS IN
THE BRAIN OPTIC NERVE
• Lateral Geniculate Nucleus – major • 5 cm in length
subcortical center relaying visual
information to the primary visual cortex • Representation of the brain

•Superior Colliculus – controls •Contains info from over a million

orienting eye movements ganglion cells and each cell codes info

• Hypothalamus – regulate the on a particular part of the retina.

circadian rhythms Intraocular (Prelaminar)
• Pretectum – control the pupillary light 0.7mm to1mm
reflex
Intraorbital (Post/retrolaminar)
• Lateral Geniculate Nucleus – major
subcortical center relaying visual 25-30mm
information to the primary visual cortex Intracanalicular 6-10mm
•Superior Colliculus – controls Intracranial 10-16mm
orienting eye movements
• Hypothalamus – regulate the
circadian rhythms
• Pretectum – control the pupillary light
reflex
 OPTIC CHIASM
• It is a commissure formed by the
junction of the optic nerve.
• Provides crossing of the nasal retinal
fibers to the optic tract of the opposite
side and for passage of the temporal
fibers into the optic tract of the ipsilateral
side.
• The optic chiasm is formed when the
optic nerves come together in order to
allow for the crossing of fibers from the
nasal retina to the optic tract on the
other side. This enables vision from one
side of both the eyes to be appreciated
by the occipital cortex of the opposite
side.
OPTIC CHIASM ANATOMY
• Lies over the diaphragm sellae and
the hypophysis (pituitary gland)
• Continuous with the optic tract
OPTIC TRACT
•A cyclindric, slightly flattened band
of fibers approximately 3.5 mm high and
5.1mm long that runs from the
posterolateral corner of the optic chiasm
to the LGN.
•Fibers project to areas in the
hypothalamus involved with the
circadian rhythm, and others terminate
in the superior colliculus.
3 major destinations of the fibers
of optic tract:
1. LGB – relay to the visual cortex
2. Pretectal nucleus – pupilloconstrictor
pathway
3. Superior colliculus – general reflex
response to light.
LATERAL GENICULATE BODY
• Pair of bodies that are part of the
thalamus.
• Form and end station for all fibers
subserving vision in the optic tract.
• Arranged in 6 layers and contains
topographical map of retinal regions.
• It is connected to the superior
colliculus by a slender band called the
superior brachium.
Lateral Geniculate Body (LGB)
3 Cells within a layer are all of the same
type and identified according to size.
1. Magnocellular Layer – Large Cells -
Dim Illumination
2. Parvocellular layer – Medium size
cells – Color and fine detail
3. Koniocellular Layer-Small Cells –
Innervate extrastriate cortex and that are
likely to sustain some visual behaviours
in the Primary visual Cortex PVC.
• The retinal Magno and Parvo ganglion
cells respectively project to 2 ventral
magnocellular layers and 4 dorsal
parvocellular layers of the Lateral
Geniculate Nucleus
• Each of the six LGN layers receives
inputs from either the ipsilateral or
contralateral eye (1,4,6=CONTRA;
2,3,5=IPSILATERAL)
 OPTIC RADIATIONS
• Carry visual impulses from the LGB to
the occipital lobe
• Axons carrying information about the
superior visual field sweep around the
lateral horn of the ventricle in the
temporal lobe (Meyer's loop)
• Those carrying information about the
inferior visual field travel under the
cortex of the parietal lobe (Baum's
Loop)

• Lesions restricted to the parvocellular

layers severely disrupt the processing
of color and fine detail
• Lesions of the magnocellular layers
severely disrupt the detection of fast-
moving stimuli, leaving color and fine
detail vision unaffected

VISUAL CORTEX
•The primary visual cortex (V1) has a
representation of the contralateral visual
hemifield.
• The foveal region is mapped in its
most posterior part, whereas the more
peripheral regions are mapped in
progressively more anterior parts.
 • The upper visual field is mapped on
the lower bank of the calcarine sulcus,
the lower visual field on the upper bank

VISUAL CORTEX
• V1 and V2 – contain the primary visual
maps and 3 types of info are seperated:
• V3 – LOCAL motion
• V4 – color vision
• V5 – Medial Temporal – GLOBAL
motion
• V6 – Inferotemporal – recognizing
objects

• Local motion – Interpret changes in

light intensity as motion; steady state
motion phi phenomenon; produced by 2
turning stationary lights located side by
side; apparent motion produced by a
stationary object that change in intensity
over time
• Global motion – Motion defined with
direction any damage would lead to
akinetopsia larger area, pool motion
over space