The primary and accessory optic systems in the golden hamster, &lt;i&gt;Mesocricetus auratus&lt;/i&gt;

Eichler, Victor B.; Moore, Robert Y.

doi:10.1159/000144298

Cited by 81 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The rodents AOS was studied extensively in rat (e.g., Hayhow et al, 1960;Kostovic, 1971;Terubayashi and Fujisawa, 1984) hamster (Lin et al, 1976;Terubayashi and Fujisawa, 1984;Eichler and Moore, 1974), mouse (De Renzi et al, 1959;Terubayashi and Fujisawa, 1984;Pak et al, 1987), and squirrel (Tigges, 1970). In rat, the IF and SFp are fairly well developed, whereas the SFm consists of only a slender bundle of fibers when compared with the mouse.…”

Section: Nonmammalian Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The accessory optic system: basic organization with an update on connectivity, neurochemistry, and function

Giolli

Blanks

Lui

2006

Progress in Brain Research

142

123

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The accessory optic system (AOS) is formed by a series of terminal nuclei receiving direct visual information from the retina via one or more accessory optic tracts. In addition to the retinal input, derived from ganglion cells that characteristically have large receptive fields, are direction-selective, and have a preference for slow moving stimuli, there are now well-characterized afferent connections with a key pretectal nucleus (nucleus of the optic tract) and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus. The efferent connections of the AOS are robust, targeting brainstem and other structures in support of visual-oculomotor events such as optokinetic nystagmus and visual-vestibular interaction. This chapter reviews the newer experimental findings while including older data concerning the structural and functional organization of the AOS. We then consider the ontogeny and phylogeny of the AOS and include a discussion of similarities and differences in the anatomical organization of the AOS in nonmammalian and mammalian species. This is followed by sections dealing with retinal and cerebral cortical afferents to the AOS nuclei, interneuronal connections of AOS neurons, and the efferents of the AOS nuclei. We conclude with a section on Functional Considerations dealing with the issues of the response properties of AOS neurons, lesion and metabolic studies, and the AOS and spatial cognition. The accessory optic system (AOS) is formed by a series of terminal nuclei receiving direct visual information from the retina via one or more accessory optic tracts. In addition to the retinal input, derived from ganglion cells that characteristically have large receptive fields, are direction-selective and have a preference for slow moving stimuli, there are now well characterized afferent connections with a key pretectal nucleus (nucleus of the optic tract) and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus. The efferent connections of the AOS are robust, targeting brainstem and other structures in support of visual-oculomotor events such as optokinetic nystagmus and visual-vestibular interaction. The present chapter reviews the newer experimental findings while including older data concerning the structural and functional organization of the AOS. We then consider the ontogeny and phylogeny of the AOS and include a discussion of similarities and differences in the anatomical organization of the AOS in nonmammalian and mammalian species. This is followed by sections dealing with retinal and cerebral cortical afferents to the AOS nuclei, interneuronal connections of AOS neurons, and the efferents of the AOS nuclei. We conclude with a section on Functional Considerations dealing with the issues of the response properties of AOS neurons, lesion and metabolic studies, and the AOS and spatial cognition.

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Section: Nonmammalian Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The accessory optic system: basic organization with an update on connectivity, neurochemistry, and function

Giolli

Blanks

Lui

2006

Progress in Brain Research

142

123

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“…Lesions which interrupt the primary optic tract (POT) in this species do not alter the photoperiodic control of gonadal function. In contrast, lesions of the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT), which provides a direct connection between the retina and the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus (Eichler and Moore, 1974), completely block gonadal regression induced by short days in both male and female hamsters (Rusak and Morin, 1976;. While these studies indicate that the RHT is responsible for the transmission of light involved in the photoperiodic response, the data are not conclusive since the only means currently available for transecting the RHT and leaving the POT intact involve the destruction of the SCN.…”

Section: Perception and Transmission Of Photic Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoperiodic Regulation of Neuroendocrine-Gonadal Activity

Turek

Campbell²

1979

Biology of Reproduction

224

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“…This visual system uses two distinct anatomical pathways that connect the retina to the SCN. A neural projection from the retina directly to the SCN has been observed in all mammals (Moore, 1973;Eichler & Moore, 1974). An indirect retinal projection through the intergeniculate leaflet of the lateral geniculate nucleus has also been observed to terminate in the SCN (reviewed in Meijer & Rietveld, 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity and integration in a visual pathway for circadian entrainment in the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

Nelson

Takahashi

1991

The Journal of Physiology

293

173

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SUMMARY1. Light-induced phase shifts of the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity were used to measure the photic sensitivity of a circadian pacemaker and the visual pathway that conveys light information to it in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The sensitivity to stimulus irradiance and duration was assessed by measuring the magnitude of phase-shift responses to photic stimuli of different irradiance and duration. The visual sensitivity was also measured at three different phases of the circadian rhythm.2. The stimulus-response curves measured at different circadian phases suggest that the maximum phase-shift is the only aspect of visual responsivity to change as a function of the circadian day. The half-saturation constants (G.) for the stimulus-response curves are not significantly different over the three circadian phases tested. The photic sensitivity to irradiance (1/ao) appears to remain constant over the circadian day.3. The hamster circadian pacemaker and the photoreceptive system that subserves it are more sensitive to the irradiance of longer-duration stimuli than to irradiance of briefer stimuli. The system is maximally sensitive to the irradiance of stimuli of 300 s and longer in duration. A quantitative model is presented to explain the changes that occur in the stimulus-response curves as a function of photic stimulus duration.4. The threshold for photic stimulation of the hamster circadian pacemaker is also quite high. The threshold irradiance (the minimum irradiance necessary to induce statistically significant responses) is approximately 1011 photons cm-2 s-5 for optimal stimulus durations. This threshold is equivalent to a luminance at the cornea of 0-1 cdm2.5. We also measured the sensitivity of this visual pathway to the total number of photons in a stimulus. This system is maximally sensitive to photons in stimuli between 30 and 3600 s in duration. The maximum quantum efficiency of photic integration occurs in 300 s stimuli.6. These results suggest that the visual pathways that convey light information to t Present address:

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The primary and accessory optic systems in the golden hamster, <i>Mesocricetus auratus</i>

Cited by 81 publications

References 2 publications

The accessory optic system: basic organization with an update on connectivity, neurochemistry, and function

The accessory optic system: basic organization with an update on connectivity, neurochemistry, and function

Photoperiodic Regulation of Neuroendocrine-Gonadal Activity

Sensitivity and integration in a visual pathway for circadian entrainment in the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

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