Corpus geniculatum laterale

Corpus geniculatum laterale (also known as the lateral geniculate body or lateral geniculate nucleus) is a significant part of the visual system in the human brain. It is a relay center in the thalamus for the visual pathway, receiving a major sensory input from the retina.

Structure

The lateral geniculate nucleus is a part of the metathalamus, which also includes the medial geniculate nucleus. It is a small, ovoid, ventral and lateral projection of the thalamus on each side of the brain. The structure is layered, with six layers of cells, numbered one to six from ventral to dorsal. Layers one, four, and six receive input from the contralateral (opposite side) eye, while layers two, three, and five receive input from the ipsilateral (same side) eye.

Function

The primary role of the lateral geniculate nucleus is to receive visual information from the photoreceptor cells in the retina and transmit it to the visual cortex in the brain. This information is processed in the form of action potentials, which are sent along the optic nerve to the lateral geniculate nucleus. The nucleus acts as a relay and processing station, sending the information to the visual cortex for further processing and interpretation.

Clinical significance

Damage to the lateral geniculate nucleus can result in a variety of visual impairments, including hemianopsia, a condition characterized by loss of vision or blindness in half the visual field. It can also lead to visual agnosia, a condition where the person can see but cannot recognize or interpret visual information.

See also

• Visual system
• Thalamus
• Retina
• Visual cortex
• Optic nerve