Neuroanatomy of the human visual system: Part III Three retinal projections to the hypothalamus

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Abstract
A retinal projection to the hypothalamus has been demonstrated in many experimental animals. There is also evidence that the hypothalamic nuclei which receive retinal afferents mediate the synchronization of the diurnal light/dark cycle in regulating endogenous circadian rhythms. Experimental animal investigations have shown that elimination of light input disrupts the circadian pattern of locomotor activity, feeding, and drinking behaviors. Application of the PPD method to human autopsy brains from patients who had incurred prior uniocular damage demonstrated degenerated retinofugal fibers to three hypothalamic nuclei. Retinal efferents were found to project to the suprachiasmatic, supraoptic, and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. This may represent a neuroanatominal substrate responsible for many of the neuro-endocrine imbalances found in blind persons.