A Comparative Approach to Parallel Geniculocortical Pathways

Abstract

Abstract The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (LGN) occupies a central locus in both the passage of visual signals from retina to cortex and in the development of theories for vision. Six decades of research, in several mammalian species, have allowed deep empirical understanding of the structure, connections, and functional properties of the LGN. This work supports the idea that LGN is organized into compartments with different afferent inputs, projections, and functional properties; that is, signals are conveyed from retina to cortex through parallel channels. The aim of this chapter is to develop a comparative, historical overview of this work, and to help the reader understand some of the key debates.