CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE FIBER ORDER IN THE OPTIC PATHWAY OF PRIMATES

Traditional neuro-ophthalmologic accounts of the optic pathway in prim ates stipulate that two half-retinal maps, one from each optic nerve, are combined within the chiasmatic region to yield a single, unified r epresentation of the contralateral visual hemi-field in each optic tra ct. Yet visual disturbances produced by compromise to the visual pathw ays in the region of the optic chiasm and tract are inconsistent with such classical accounts. The present report describes recent neuroanat omical studies in monkeys that contradict those classical accounts but are consistent with the incongruous field defects and the functionall y selective visual impairments documented in the clinical literature.