PSYCH 160A Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, Ganglion Cell, Peripheral Vision
25 Jan 2020
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Document Summary
Large cell bodies & large dendritic trees. Promotes high sensitivity, at the expense of acuity. Gets input from both rods & cones. Small cell bodies & smaller dendritic trees. Ganglion cells send output to the lateral geniculate nucleus (lgn) of the thalamus. The thalamus serves as an important relay and organizational station for all sensory information (except smell) Situated above the midbrain, and about the size of walnut. Has many nuclei within, all serving distinct functions. Lgn is the nucleus of the thalamus that gets visual input. Lgn is the gateway for visual input. 90% of ganglion cells project to the lgn (feedforward) But most of the input to the lgn comes from cortex (feedback) Lgn gets more input from cortex than eye. Strong role of feedback impacting neural firing at this level of processing. Located at the base of skull, just behind the inion. Medial, mostly hidden in the interhemisphere fissure. Stretches the length of the calcarine sulcus.
