A retinohypothalamic pathway in man: light mediation of circadian rhythms

Brain Res. 1984 Jun 8;302(2):371-7. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(84)90252-x.

Abstract

It has been proposed that, in animals, a retinohypothalamic pathway exists which mediates the synchronization of the diurnal light-dark cycle with the central neural components regulating endogenous rhythms. There have been numerous anatomic, physiologic and behavioral investigations to substantiate this proposed connection in experimental animals. Morphologic investigation of a retinohypothalamic tract in man has awaited the development of a technique capable of axonal tracing in the human brain. The paraphenylenediamine method was applied to 7 post-mortem human brains. Degenerated axons were found in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus in each of the 4 patients who had incurred prior optic nerve damage. The retinosuprachiasmatic pathway may be the anatomical substrate for the integration of retinal light information with endogenous rhythms in man.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Axons / ultrastructure
  • Circadian Rhythm*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / anatomy & histology*
  • Light*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Degeneration
  • Optic Chiasm / anatomy & histology
  • Optic Nerve / anatomy & histology
  • Retina / anatomy & histology*
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / ultrastructure
  • Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / anatomy & histology
  • Visual Pathways / anatomy & histology