Conjugate
movements (yoked movements) of the eyeballs are when both eyeballs move on one
side. In a normal person only these eye ball movements are seen. The side may
be right, left upwards or downwards. They are of four types.
A. searching movements: When light
from the retina falls on the visual cortex, axons are sent to the frontal
eyefields ipsilaterally. Axons from the frontal eyefields move up and medially
downwards to cross and synapse with the PONTINE UNIT (Parapontine reticular
formation and 6th nerve nucleus). The right frontal eyefield synapse
with the left pontine unit and vice versa. The right pontine unit is connected
to the left 3rd nerve nucleus via the left medial longitudinal
fasiculus (MLF) and vice versa.
The 3rd nerve
nuclei are connected to both medial rectus muscles while the 6th
nerve nucleus are connected to the lateral medial rectus muscles such that the
frontal eyefields act as PUSH BUTTONS (when the right frontal eyefield fire,
the eyeballs move towards the left and vice versa) for FAST SEARCHING MOVEMENTS.
Note: When person watches
straight both right and left frontal eyefields are firing.
B. Tracking movements: the
occipital eyefields (located in the secondary visual cortex) are also connected
with the pontine unit. The right occipital eyefield is connected with the left
pontine unit and vice versa. They too act as PUSH BUTTONS, but for GRADUAL
TRACKING MOVEMENTS. {When your eyes follow something slowly}.
REMEMBER: both searching and
tracking movement are movements of the eye horizontally. THE RECTUS MUSCLES CONTRACT TO PULL EYE
TOWARDS THEIR SIDE. THE PONTINE UNITS ACT AS PULL BUTTONS; THEY FIRE TO PULL
EYE TOWARDS THEIR SIDE. THE EYEFIELDS ACT AS PUSH BUTTONS; THEY FIRE TO PUSH
EYE TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
LESIONS:
1. If one MLF damaged due to
some reason like multiple sclerosis (eg: right).
The right eye can not move
left.
2. Both MLF damaged.
Right eye cannot move left
and left eye cannot move right.
3. One and a half syndrome:
both MLF damaged and one pontine unit damaged (eg: right).
Right eye cannot move left
and left eye cannot move right. Since each pontine unit act as a pull button,
the right cannot move right.
OPTHALMOPLEGIA:
Defined as the paralysis of
muscles involved in eye movements.
Types:
External opthalmoplegia:
paralysis of external extra-occular muscles.
Internucleaur opthalmoplegia:
paralysis of medial rectus muscles due to damage to both MLF.
Internal opthalmoplegia:
paralysis of the internal extra-occular muscles (dilator pupillae, constrictor
papillae and ciliary muscle). Cycloplegia is a type of internal opthalmoplegia
concerning ciliary muscle paralysis.
IF THE EYEFIELDS GET IRRITATED
(overstimulation due to epilepsy or tumour), EYEBALLS MOVE AWAY FROM THE SITE OF
LESION. IF THE EYEFIELDS EVENTUALLY GET DAMAGED, EYEBALLS MOVE TOWARDS THE SITE OF LESION.
Overstimulation of eyefields result in
NYSTAGMUS: involuntary eyeball movements.
Of these external eye muscles, the
rectus muscles contract to pull the eye towards itself. The lateral rectus
moves it in the lateral direction, the medial rectus in the medial direction,
the superior rectus move it upwards while the inferior rectus moves it
downwards. The oblique muscles however contract to push the eye towards the
opposite. The superior oblique moves the eye downwards and the inferior oblique
upwards. The levator palpebrae superioris muscle contracts to pull the eyelid
upwards.
Now remember: occulomoter nerve (3rd)
is connected to the medial rectus muscles, the superior and inferior rectus
muscles, the inferior oblique muscle (pushes the eye upwards) and the levator
palpebrae superioris. It is thus responsibe for moving the eye medially upwards,
downwards and also responsible for elevating the eyelid.
Abducent nerve (6th) is only
connected to the lateral rectus muscles. It is responsibe for moving the eyes
laterally.
Trochlear nerve (4th) is only
connected to the remaining superior oblique, that pushes the eye downwards.
VERTICAL GAZE: the movement
of eye up and down along the vertical axis.
At the posterior side of the
brainstem the vestibular, 3rd 4th and 6th
nerve nuclei are connected to eachother via the right and left MLFs. The two
MLFs move upwards and join with the posterior commisure (joining the pre-tectal
nuclei). At the point of junction, the nucleus of Cajal (rostral or
interstitial nucleus of MLF/posterior commisure) is present. Axons from the
nucleus of cajal move up to synapse with the 3rd nerve nucleus and
down to synapse with the 4th nerve nucleus. These nuclei are then
connected to the respected external muscles of eye that move the eye upwards
and downwards.
Parinaud’s syndrome: Tumour in the pineal gland (located above the nucleus
of Cajal) may damage the nucleus of cajal, affecting vertical gaze and the 3rd
nerve nucleus and edhinger westphal nucleus, affecting convergence.
Marcus Gunn Pupil test: it is a test to determine whether optic neuritis or
multiple sclerosis affecting an optic nerve is completely recovered or no.
If it is not recovered, it
will be weak.
E.g the right optic nerve: it
light is shone on the right eye, both eye pupils constrict slightly since light
stimulus cannot penetrate the optic nerve properly. However if light is shone
on the left eye, both pupils constrict.
If light source is made to
swing from left to right eye, it is observed that the pupils constrict and
dilate. The pupils don’t actually dilate but when they constrict lightly from
constricting completely, it seems they dilate.
3. Vestibular movements: when
the head or body is moving but the eyes are fixed at one point.
4. Convergence movements.