Corticotectal Relationships Elaborating Visual-Guided Orientation Behavior

The relationship between the visual cortex and superior colliculus (SC) is integral in the elaboration of visually-guided behaviors. Although numerous regions of visual cortex send projections to SC, the lateral suprasylvian (LS) cortex is known to be a primary source of direct visual cortical afferents to the deep laminae of SC, in which tectospinal neurons are located. Our recent experiments provide anatomical and physiological evidence to support the idea that, in addition to a direct influence on deep lamina neurons, LS may modulate tectospinal neurons indirectly via its projection to the striatum