Structure continued:
- The superior colliculus is located on the roof of the midbrain, above the inferior colliculus (which is involved in auditory processing)1,3
- It is a layered structure with the superficial layers mainly processing visual input from the retina and visual cortex.1,2 Deeper layers respond to auditory signals and have movement related activity1,2
Pathways and connections:
- The superior colliculus receives visual inputs from the retina and top down from visual cortex1,2
- It sends outputs from deeper, movement-related layers to various brain regions, including the thalamus and brainstem1,2
- Control of motor commands for eye movement generated by the brainstem by the superior colliculus make it possible to bring eye movement under the control of higher order processes such as attention, perception and cognition1,2
References:
1. Zubricky RD, Das JM. Neuroanatomy, superior colliculus. [Updated 2024 Jan]. In: StatPearls [internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544224/.
2. Benarroch E. What are the functions of the superior colliculus and its involvement in neurologic disorders? Neurology 2023; 100 (16): 784–790.
3. King AJ. The superior colliculus. Curr Biol 2004; 14 (9): R335–R338.