Optic lobe
- Pronunciation
- /OP-tik LOHB/
- Category
- Anatomy
- Singular
- optic lobe
- Plural
- optic lobes
Definition
A paired lateral region of the that receives, processes, and integrates visual information from the and ocelli. Each lobe comprises an ordered stack of neuropils—typically the lamina, medulla, lobula, and (in many insects) lobula plate—through which photoreceptor signals are relayed and transformed into motion detection, color discrimination, and form perception. The optic lobes are anatomically distinct from the central brain and, in many , constitute the majority of brain volume.
Etymology
Example
In Drosophila, the optic lobe contains ~80% of the brain's ; the lobula plate houses wide-field motion-sensitive tangential used to stabilize .
Related Terms
- compound eye
- ocellus
- lamina
- medulla
- protocerebron
- visual neuropil
- mushroom body
Usage Notes
In vertebrate neuroanatomy, 'optic lobe' often refers to the superior colliculus or optic tectum, but in entomology and arachnology the term almost always denotes the structure. The lobes are bilateral and segmented; damage to one lobe typically causes contralateral visual deficits. Some authors reserve 'optic lobe' for the entire lateral visual center and use 'optic neuropils' for the constituent layers.