superior colliculus
Quick Summary
The superior colliculi are a pair of formations located on the roof of the midbrain. In vertebrates, the midbrain is a crucial part of the brainstem involved in visual processing, auditory processing, and motor movements, especially of the eye.12
The superior colliculus specifically receives input from the retina and visual cortex. It plays a role in various visual reflexes, particularly in tracking objects within the visual field. While in humans, damage to the primary visual pathway (geniculostriate pathway) causes blindness, many optic tract fibers in humans still relay in the superior colliculi. However, these collicular centers do not relay to the cortex, and their visual function in humans is not obvious. In contrast, in many lower animals, removal of the visual cortex does not result in complete blindness, suggesting the superior colliculi play a more significant visual role in these species.21
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human nervous systemMidbrainThe superior colliculus receives input from the retina and the visual cortex and participates in a variety of visual reflexes, particularly the tracking of objects in the contralateral visual field. The inferior colliculus receives both crossed and uncrossed auditory fibers and projects upon the medial geniculate…
Read MoreThe superior colliculus receives input from the retina and the visual cortex and participates in a variety of visual reflexes, particularly the tracking of objects in the contralateral visual field. The inferior colliculus receives both crossed and uncrossed auditory fibers and projects upon the medial geniculate…
Read More- human nervous systemVision
…W-cells connect primarily to the superior colliculus of the midbrain. From these regions, input from the X-cells travels mainly to the primary visual area, that from the Y-cells to the secondary visual area, and that from the W-cells to the area surrounding the secondary area. The collicular pathway serves movement…
Read More…W-cells connect primarily to the superior colliculus of the midbrain. From these regions, input from the X-cells travels mainly to the primary visual area, that from the Y-cells to the secondary visual area, and that from the W-cells to the area surrounding the secondary area. The collicular pathway serves movement…
Read More - human nervous systemVision
…of the pathway from the superior colliculus to the temporal and parietal cortices is as a tracking system, enabling the eyes and head to follow moving objects and keep them in the visual field. The pathway from the geniculate nucleus to the primary visual area may be said to perceive…
Read More…of the pathway from the superior colliculus to the temporal and parietal cortices is as a tracking system, enabling the eyes and head to follow moving objects and keep them in the visual field. The pathway from the geniculate nucleus to the primary visual area may be said to perceive…
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midbrainThe superior colliculus receives input from the retina and the visual cortex and participates in a variety of visual reflexes, particularly the tracking of objects in the visual field. The inferior colliculus receives both crossed and uncrossed auditory fibres and projects upon the medial geniculate body,…
Read MoreThe superior colliculus receives input from the retina and the visual cortex and participates in a variety of visual reflexes, particularly the tracking of objects in the visual field. The inferior colliculus receives both crossed and uncrossed auditory fibres and projects upon the medial geniculate body,…
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