Neuroanatomy of the human visual system: Part II Retinal projections to the superior colliculus and pulvinar

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Abstract
Experimental animal investigations have shown the superior colliculus (SC) to be a primary visual nucleus of great significance for visual function. Despite this evidence, the SC has been largely disregarded as a primary visual nucleus in man. Most reports of total cortical blindness in humans described a loss of all visual responses. Several reports, however, demonstrated that a small, but significant, residual visual function remains in patients with cortical lesions. Such clinical evidence suggests the existence of multiple retinofugal pathways. Direct histological examination of the human visual system awaited the development of a technique applicable to postmortem brain tissue. Using the PPD method, we have demonstrated retinofugal projections to both the SC and the pulvinar.