Superior colliculus
Relay nuclei · detail
Tectal target of retinal fibres arriving through its brachium; the superficial layers map the contralateral visual field and the deep layers drive reflex saccades and head-orienting movements through the pontine and midbrain gaze centres.
Traced from the start
Detail
- Input
- Retinotectal fibres from the optic tract, plus V1 and the frontal eye field
- Output
- Tectospinal tract, paramedian pontine reticular formation, rostral interstitial nucleus of the MLF
- Function
- Reflex saccades and orienting to a novel stimulus
When it goes wrong
Destruction of V1 with intact retinotectal pathway
Blindsight: the patient denies seeing but can localise or track a stimulus in the blind hemifield
Practise this structure
1 question in the bank tagged Brainstem.