PSYC 6 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Optic Chiasm, Visual Cortex, Ganglion Cell

• School: Irvine Valley College
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 6
• Professor: cassens

Document Summary

Sensory receptors in the eye transmit visual info to brain (image formation) Light pathway: cornea (focusing thick outer layer)->lens (bent inwards)-> retina. Pupil- dark circle at center of eye, opening in front of lens. Accomodation- muscles changing lens shape for focus iris- circular muscle, which controls pupil size. Densely packed in middle, scarce on outside. Within rods and cones, light-sensitive chemicals initiate the transduction of light. Fovea- small region with densely packed cones. Sensory receptors in retina generate electrical signals waves into neural impulses. Outer layer: action potentials generated by altering membrane. Transmission from eye to brain potential, triggering action potentials downstream. Ganglion- first neurons in visual pathway, first to generate action potentials. Optic nerve- ganglion axons gathered in bundle at back of retina. Optic chiasm- half of axons in optic nerves cross. Primary visual cortex- cortical areas in occipital lobes, responsible for all info we consciously experience as seeing.