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lateral geniculate body

anatomy
Also known as: LGN, lateral geniculate nucleus

Quick Summary

The lateral geniculate body (LGB) is a crucial relay station in the visual pathway, located within the thalamus of the brain. It receives input from the optic tracts, which carry visual information from both retinas.12

The LGB has six layers, and importantly, it keeps visual information from each eye separate. Fibers from the left half of the visual field of both eyes go to the right LGB, and vice versa, allowing for the comparison of images from both eyes to perceive depth.12

The LGB processes this visual information, emphasizing contrast and non-uniformity, before sending it on to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe for further analysis. This processing helps the brain filter out unnecessary information and focus on important visual details like contours and movement.23

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