AUDITORY AND VISUAL SYSTEM

VISUAL PATHWAY

Optic Nerve & Optical Chiasm

• Optic nerves send electrical signals from each eye meet in the brain at the
optic chiasm.
• Here, the left visual from one eye is combined with the other eye and the same
goes for the right visual.
• The signals split again.
• The right visual heads for the left brain and the left visual makes its way to the
right side of the brain.
• Visual messages from both eyes will reach both halves of the visual cortex.
• The brain then merges the image into one image.

Lateral Geniculate
• From the optic chiasm, the signals reach the lateral geniculate, twin relay
stations deep in each hemisphere of the brain.

Visual Cortex

• Most visual impulses will travel directly from the lateral geniculate nuclei to
the primary visual cortex.
• In the visual cortex lies the ability to detect spatial organization of a scene, the
shape of objects and their tone of shading.
• Then from the cortex, some more nerve fibers connect it to the secondary
visual cortex.
• This area of the brain decodes visual messages a higher level than the primary
visual cortex.
• Any damage done to the visual sites in the temporal lobe can inhibit visual
learning.
VISUAL DEFECTS

The typical visual field defects in lesions at various sites in the optic pathways are
summarized in Fig.

· At the level of the optic nerve - unilateral blindness

· At the middle of the optic chiasma - bitemporal hemianopia.

· At the lateral aspect of the optic chiasma - unilateral nasal hemianopic defects; if
the pressure is bilateral - bilateral nasal hemianopic defect.
· In the posterior part of the optic chiasma when the pressure is from the inferior
aspect bitemporal scotoma.

· At the level of the optic tract and geniculate body incongruous incomplete
homonymous hemianopia.

· The optic radiation in the temporal lobe - incongruous homonymous superior

quadrantic defect.

· The optic radiation in the temporal lobe - incongruous homonymous inferior

quadrantic defect.

· The optic radiation in the posterior portion congruous homonymous hemianopia

with macular sparing.

· In the mid-portion of the calcarine cortex contralateral loss of the temporal

crescent.

· At the tip of the occipital lobe - congruous homonymous hemianopic scotoma.

· Anterior tip of calcarine fissure - contralateral loss of the temporal crescent with
otherwise normal visual fields.
Must remember

Tip- Lateral geniculate body - Light - Optic or Visual Pathway

Medial geniculate body - Music - Auditory Pathway
Note that pretectal nucleus is not involved in accommodation reflex. In lesions
of the pretectal nucleus the light reflex is lost, but pupil contracts on
accommodation. This is called Argyll Robertson pupil.
Auditory pathway
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