page_title: Optic tectum
hierarchical_section_title: Optic tectum
caption_attribution_description: This is a section in the transverse plane through the human midbrain at the level of the superior colliculus, showing the rough path of each nervus oculomotorius from its nucleus toward the eye. The front of the head is near the bottom of the picture.
context_page_description: The optic tectum is a major part of the midbrain of vertebrates. In vertebrates such as fish, reptiles and birds, it is the main visual processor of the brain.
  In mammals, however, most of the work is done in the visual cortex. This is at the back of the cerebral cortex. The tectum does preliminary visual processing, and controls eye movement. When human anatomy textbooks use the term superior colliculus they are referring to the tectum. The diagram is based on human anatomy.
context_section_description: The optic tectum is a major part of the midbrain of vertebrates. In vertebrates such as fish, reptiles and birds, it is the main visual processor of the brain.
  In mammals, however, most of the work is done in the visual cortex. This is at the back of the cerebral cortex. The tectum does preliminary visual processing, and controls eye movement. When human anatomy textbooks use the term superior colliculus they are referring to the tectum. The diagram is based on human anatomy.
caption: Section through superior colliculus (unlabeled) showing path of oculomotor nerve
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