| pretectal area | A narrow, transversally oriented rostral zone of the mesencephalic tectum, bounded caudally by the superior colliculus, rostrally by the habenular trigone, and laterally by the pulvinar thalami; the area contains several nuclei that receive fibres from the optic tract; it has bilateral efferent connections with the Edinger-Westphal nucleus of the oculomotor nuclear complex by way of which it mediates the pupillary light reflex. Synonym: pretectal region, pretectum. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| pretectal nucleus | Group of cells, constituting several subnuclei, located rostral to the superior colliculus in the "pretectal" area; receive input from retinal ganglion cells (via the optic tract) and project bilaterally to the Edinger-Westphal nucleus; relay centre for pupillary light reflex pathway. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pretectal region | A narrow, transversally oriented rostral zone of the mesencephalic tectum, bounded caudally by the superior colliculus, rostrally by the habenular trigone, and laterally by the pulvinar thalami; the area contains several nuclei that receive fibres from the optic tract; it has bilateral efferent connections with the Edinger-Westphal nucleus of the oculomotor nuclear complex by way of which it mediates the pupillary light reflex. Synonym: pretectal region, pretectum. (05 Mar 2000) |