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Chapter 16
The Visual System
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Undergraduate 3
10/07/2015

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Term
photoreceptors
Definition
the receptors for light; the rods & cones of the retina
Term
The photoreceptors transform light energy to graded changes of the membrane potential with ensuing release of _____
Definition
glutamate
Term
From the photoreceptors, the signals pass to _____ cells & from these to _____ cells
Definition
bipolar; retinal ganglion
Term
Several kinds of _____ enable considerable information processing in the retina
Definition
interneurons
Term
What is the difference between rods & cones?
Definition
rods: responsible for vision in dim light
cones: require daylight & are necessary for perception of visual details & colors
Term
The visual pathways start with the retinal ganglion cells sending their axons to the _____ of the thalamus
Definition
lateral geniculate body
Term
The ganglion cell axons leave the eye in the _____ nerve & pass through the optic chiasm, where the temporal half pass through uncrossed
Definition
optic
Term
What tract leads from the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate body?
Definition
optic tract
Term
optic radiation
Definition
formed from the axons from neurons in the lateral geniculate; leads to end in the primary visual cortex (the striate area) in the occipital lobe of the same side
Term
Do visual pathways show a precise, retinotopical organization at all levels?
Definition
yes!
Term
Where does further processing take place after the area striata performs the first analysis of visual information?
Definition
extrastriate visual areas in the occipital, temporal, & parietal lobes
Term
Why is visual processing largely segregated?
Definition
so that different areas deal with color & motion, etc.
Term
2 examples of visual reflex effects
Definition
1. ensuring fixation of our gaze on the object we want to examine & follows it if it moves
2. ensuring that the visual images formed at the retina are always in focus
Term
What is the outer wall of the eyeball?
Definition
dense connective tissue that is covered on the inside by the light-sensitive retina
Term
choroid
Definition
a vascular layer between the outer wall of the eyeball & the retina; highly pigmented to ensure that light enters the eye only through the pupil & prevent reflection of light
Term
What does the diameter of the pupil control?
Definition
the amount of light allowed into the eye
Term
ciliary muscles
Definition
vary the curvature of the lens; allows retinal image to be always sharply focused
Term
extraocular muscles
Definition
attach to the eyeballs & can move them to coordinate their positions so that visual images hit corresponding points of the two retinas
Term
2 halves of the retina
Definition
1. temporal parts (lateral parts, toward the temple)
2. nasal parts
Term
monocular zone
Definition
the lateral 30 degrees of the visual field that is viewed by one eye only; exists because the nose prevents light from reaching the anterior part of the temporal retina
Term
binocular zone
Definition
the visual field viewed by both eyes
Term
perimetry
Definition
does a systemic examination covering all parts of the visual field for each eye
Term
zonular fibers
Definition
thin fibers that attach the lens to the ciliary body
Term
emmetropic
Definition
an eye that is normal; the length of the eyeball is accurately adjusted to the refraction of the cornea & the lens in the relaxed state
Term
What kind of glasses correct myopia?
Definition
concave
Term
What kind of glasses correct hypermetropia?
Definition
convex
Term
accommodation
Definition
adjustment of the lens for near sight
Term
near point of the eye
Definition
the closest distance from the eye at which we can see an object sharply
Term
What kind of glasses correct presbyopia?
Definition
convex
Term
pigmented epithelium
Definition
the outer part of the retina that adjoins the choroid; consists of one layer of cuboid cells with large amounts of pigmented granules in their cytoplasm
Term
3 types of neurons/cells in the retina
Definition
1. interneurons
2. amacrine cells
3. horizontal cells
Term
What type of cells in the retina are responsible for lateral inhibition?
Definition
horizontal cells
Term
external segments
Definition
the light-sensitive parts of the photoreceptors; lie externally, toward the pigmented epithelium
Term
outer nuclear layer
Definition
the nuclei of the photoreceptors
Term
inner nuclear layer
Definition
the nuclei of the bipolar cells
Term
ganglion cell layer
Definition
the innermost layer of nuclei that belongs to the ganglion cells
Term
2 types of layers that lie between the nuclear layers & contain the processes of the neurons & their synapses
Definition
1. outer synaptic layer
2. inner synaptic layer
Term
Muller cells
Definition
a special kind of glial cell that extends through the retina from the pigmented epithelium to the vitreous body
Term
Where is rhodopsin created?
Definition
rods
Term
2 parts of rhodopsin
Definition
1. opsin (a protein part)
2. retinal (an aldehyde of vitamin A)
Term
The transduction mechanism of the rods involves activation of _____
Definition
G proteins (structurally, the photopigments resemble closely other G protein-coupled receptors)
Term
What is the difference between scotopic vision & photopic vision?
Definition
scotopic: comes from the rods; vision when the light is dim
photopic: comes from the cones; vision in good light
Term
Can rods help us discriminate between light of different wavelengths (a prerequisite for color vision)?
Definition
no! the distribution of light sensitivity for different wavelengths of light is the same for all the rods
Term
3 colors for which different kinds of cones respond best to (certain wavelengths)
Definition
1. blue
2. red
3. green
Term
How do the neurons receiving signals from the different kinds of cones extract information about the distribution of wavelengths in the light falling on the retina?
Definition
by comparing the degree of activation of the different kinds of cones
Term
Together, what are the three kinds of cones responsible for?
Definition
color vision
Term
Is there a high or low degree of convergence for rods?
Definition
high (many rods connect to each bipolar cell)
Term
Do cones or rods provide information with a higher spatial resolution?
Definition
cones (two points must be farther apart to be perceived as two when the rods are responsible for transmitting the information than when the cones are responsible due to the difference in convergence)
Term
2 things cones are responsible for
Definition
1. color vision
2. our ability to perceive visual details (precise perception of patterns & form)
Term
Are photoreceptors depolarized or hyperpolarized in the dark?
Definition
depolarized (with a membrane potential around -30 mV)
Term
2 kinds of bipolar cells
Definition
1. depolarized by light
2. hyperpolarized by light
Term
How many parallel signal pathways come from the cones?
Definition
2
Term
Are on-center or off-center ganglion cells activated by light hitting the central zone of the receptive field?
Definition
on-center (off-center are inhibited)
Term
What are contours especially important for?

*the visual system is particularly suited to detect contours*
Definition
analysis of form
Term
macula lutea
Definition
a small region of the retina in the back of the eye; visual axes have to be oriented so that light from the object falls on it
Term
visual acuity
Definition
the distance two points in the visual field have to be apart to be perceived as two & not one
Term
fovea centralis
Definition
a small depression in the center of the macula
Term
Is the density of photoreceptors higher or lower in the fovea than in the periphery?
Definition
higher (contributes to the higher visual acuity in the central parts of the retina especially the fovea)
Term
Are the dendrites of ganglion cells longer centrally or peripherally?
Definition
peripherally
Term
2 main kinds of retinal ganglion cell (together they constitute about 90% of all cells)
Definition
1. M cells
2. P cells
Term
optic papilla
Definition
where all ganglion cell axons pass through the wall of the eyeball after running toward the posterior pole of the eye
Term
The optic radiation curves anteriorly & laterally to the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle & ends in the _____ (which is situated around the calcarine sulcus)
Definition
primary visual cortical area
Term
Which of Brodmann's areas is associated with the primary visual area & also known as the striate area?
Definition
area 17
Term
2 main places in the mesencephalon where optic nerve fibers terminate
Definition
1. superior colliculus
2. pretectal nuclei
Term
What do fibers of the optic nerve that pass to the hypothalamus do?
Definition
contribute to regulation of circadian rhythms
Term
What is the difference between the magnocellular layers & the parvocellular layers of the lateral geniculate body?
Definition
magno: the two ventral-most laminas composed of large cells
parvo: the dorsal four laminas composed of small cells
Term
Is retinotopic localization fine-grained?
Definition
yes!
Term
Are the thalamocortical connections from the lateral geniculate body to the striate area organized with a precise retinotopic arrangement?
Definition
yes!
Term
Why may disease processes involving the visual cortex at times elicit sensations of light?
Definition
the neurons are abnormally irritated
Term
What does it mean that epileptic seizures originating in the visual cortex often start with a "visual aura"?
Definition
the muscular convulsions are preceded by bizarre patterns of light in the visual field opposite the diseased hemisphere
Term
direction-selective cells
Definition
detect not only the orientation of a contour but also in which direction it is moving
Term
What does it mean that many binocular cells are sensitive to "disparity" of the images?
Definition
they require that the images from the two eyes are slightly different
Term
2 things that binocular disparity is important for
Definition
1. depth
2. stereoscopic vision
Term
3 properties associated with modular organization
Definition
1. orientation selectivity
2. wavelength selectivity
3. ocular dominance
Term
4 things neurons in the striate area are the basis for cortical analysis of
Definition
1. form
2. depth
3. movement
4. color
Term
What is the difference between the ventral stream of information passing downward from the occipital lobe to the temporal lobe & the dorsal stream that passes upward to the parietal lobe?
Definition
ventral: object identification
dorsal: spatial features & movement
Term
What causes color opponency?
Definition
convergence on one ganglion cell of signals from cones with different wavelength sensitivities
Term
Is there one final site in which all aspects of visual information are brought together?
Definition
no!
Term
In the prefrontal cortex, is visual information about "what" & "where" treated separately?
Definition
yes!
Term
In the first 2 to 3 years of life, what can result from lack of meaningful use of the eye?
Definition
permanently reduced visual acuity
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