PSYCH261 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6.2, 6.3: Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, Optic Chiasm, Amacrine Cell
28 Nov 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Rods + cones make synapses with horizontal cells and bipolar cells. Horizontal cells make inhibitory contact onto bipolar cells. Bipolar cells synapses onto amacrine cells + ganglion cells. Ganglion cells axons form optic nerve leaves retina and travels along lower surface of the brain. Optic chiasm (optic nerves from two eyes meet in humans half of axons from each eye cross to the opposite side of the brain) Nasal half of each eye (side closer to nose) crosses to the contralateral hemisphere. Information from the temporal half (side toward the temporal cortex) goes to the ipisilateral hemisphere. Smaller number of axons go to the superior colliculus and other areas (hypothalamus controls waking-sleeping schedule) Lateral geniculate nucleus (looks like a little knee, most ganglion cell axons go here sends axons to other parts of the thalamus and the occipital cortex) Cortex returns many axons to the thalamus thalamus + cortex constantly feed information back and forth.
