Optic Tectum: Sensorimotor Integration

The optic tectum plays a central role in the network that interfaces between sensory stimuli and behavioral motor patterns. Situated dorsally in the midbrain, the tectum consists of multiple laminae with specific cell types and connectivity. The tectum receives a strong retinal projection that forms a map of visual space which acts as a master coordinate system for other sensory afferents (auditory, somatosensory, etc.), leading to a multimodal representation of the sensory environment. Although the size of the optic tectum is variable among vertebrate species, the sensorimotor functions of the tectum appear to be relevant for all vertebrate classes.