Trace the path of the reflex arc in Figure 1 below with a light stimulus in the right eye. If a light is flashed near one eye, the pupils of both eyes contract. The pupillary light reflex protects the retina from excessive illumination, which is damaging to the photoreceptors. The corneal reflex protects the eye from trauma. The crossed-extensor reflex withdraws the injured limb from the painful stimulus while simultaneously extending the opposite limb. In In the light reflex, the pupils constrict when light is shone on the retina. The Cranial nerves. Light is the stimulus; impulses reach the brain via the optic nerve; and the response is conveyed to the pupillary musculature by autonomic nerves that supply the eye. These include the pupillary light reflex and accommodation reflex. light reflex is used to assess the brain stem function. At the time of the pupillary light reflex, the pupils should be examined for symmetry. Sharma S, Baskaran M, Rukmini AV, Nongpiur ME, Htoon H, Cheng CY, Perera SA, Gooley JJ, Aung T, Milea D. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2016 Jul; 254(7):1353-9.Epub 2016 Mar 12. The optic nerve mediates the afferent limb of the Direct and consensual pupillary light reflexes test for appropriate neurological pathway connections and functioning of both cranial nerve II and III. Light entering the eye is processed through the pupillary light reflex, and signals directed to the iris sphincter muscle to adjust the amount of light that reaches the retina. D. II. Sensory input (e.g. The response in the stimulated eye is called the direct light response, and that in the unstimulated NEUROANATOMY OF THE PUPILLARY LIGHT REFLEX The pupil provides a window from the outside world to the retina, allowing for the strict regulation of light. Abnormal pupillary light reflex can be found in optic nerve injury, The consensual response results in pupillary constriction of the eye not directly stimulated by light, although the response is slightly reduced compared to the eye being directly tested. pupillary ligth reflex. Loss of the pupillary reflexes is always an ominous finding. Pupillary reflex to light (also called photomotor reflex) is a nerve reflex that modulates the diameter of the pupil in response to the intensity of light reaching the retina This The optic nerve sends action potentials from the retina to the brain. Unequal pupil Image courtesy S Bhimji MD. At the time of the pupillary light reflex, the pupils should be examined for symmetry. III. Pupillary response is a physiological response that varies the size of the pupil, via the optic and oculomotor cranial nerve. Causes of Absent Pupillary Reflexes Intraocular conditions - glaucoma, retinal detachment Optic (II) nerve lesion - trauma, compression, optic neuritis Midbrain lesion - Pupillary reflexes involve the The pretectum, like the superior colliculus, receives visual information from optic nerve fibers not destined to synapse in the lateral geniculate bodies. A constriction response ( miosis ), [1] is the narrowing of the pupil, which may be caused by scleral buckles or drugs such as Unequal pupil size is called ansiocoria. The pupillary reflex is a homeostatic reflex pathway where stimulus with light leads to contraction of the pupil. These include the pupillary light reflex and accommodation reflex. The optic nerve is responsible for the afferent limb of the pupillary reflex, or in other words, senses the incoming light. The reflex, controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system, involves three responses: pupil constriction, lens accommodation, and convergence. Assessment of cranial nerves III, IV, and VI: 1.Pupillary light reflex-Ask the patient to fixate on a distant target-Shine a pen torch into each eye in turn, bringing the beam in quickly Although the pupillary Connection lost. both optic and oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) to constrict pupils upon light exposure. If a light is flashed near one eye, the pupils of both eyes contract. Pupillary light reflexes require both optic and oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) to constrict pupils upon light exposure. The pupillary reaction to light is a sturdy reflex that is abolished only by structural damage to the midbrain or third cranial nerve. What nerve is responsible for pupillary light reflex? Then dim the lights if possible and shine a penlight directly into the right eye. optic nerve What is the cranial nerve that contains the efferent neurons involved in the pupillary reflexes? Emergency physicians routinely test pupillary light reflex to assess brain stem function. The oculomotor nerve is the third cranial nerve and innervates the 5 of 7 extrinsic muscles that move the eye and two intrinsic muscles. The pupillary reflex results when light is directed into the pupil of one eye. Pupil reactions should be normal. The oculomotor nerve is responsible for the efferent limb of the Afferent pupillary defect: Also known amaurotic pupil, Refers to a condition in which both the consensual and direct light reflex will be absent When light is shone in the affected oculomotor nerves Each afferent limb of the pupillary reflex has two efferent limbs, one ipsilateral and one contralateral. This area is involved in the pupillary light reflex (which regulates the size of the pupil) and the accommodation reflex (which controls the degree of curvature of the lens). structure of nervous system In human nervous system: Reflex actions the best-known reflex is the pupillary light reflex. Lack of the pupillary reflex or an abnormal pupillary reflex can be caused by optic nerve damage, oculomotor nerve damage, brain death and A near object (for example, a computer screen) appears large in the field of vision, and the eye receives light from wide angles. The pupillary light reflexes rely on a reflex pathway with the optic nerve as the sensory nerve, the oculomotor nerve as the motor nerve and the midbrain as the processing centre. [1] These are the first steps of the pupillary light reflex afferent pathway. The sensory (afferent) aspect of the pupillary light reflex pathway involves CN II (optic) and motor (efferent) aspect involves CN III (oculomotor). reflex contraction of the sphincter muscle of the iris in response to a bright light (or certain drugs) causing the pupil to become smaller Pupillary reflex refers to one of the reflexes associated with pupillary function. the best-known reflex is the pupillary light reflex. This mechanism bestowed an evolutionary advantage to our ancestors, who relied on a keen visual sense to allow them survive from predators, and to hunt for prey in a multitude of illuminations. When light is shone on pupil, a constriction of both pupils occurs. Pupil Size and Reactions. The movies were created by The University of Utah 2001 under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 2.5 License. Resting pupils should be equal in diameter, although slight differences are insignificant. visceral What is the cranial nerve that contains the afferent neurons involved in the pupillary reflex? Pupillary response is a physiological response that varies the size of the pupil, via the optic and oculomotor cranial nerve. Resting pupils should be equal in diameter, although slight differences are insignificant. Pupillary reflex Pupillary reflex refers to one of the reflexes associated with pupillary function. Pupillary reflexes involve the autonomic (Edinger-Westphal) component of the oculomotor nucleus. Pupillary light reflex will test cranial nerve __ and __. Pupillary light reflex provides a useful diagnostic tool for testing the integrity of the sensory and motor functions of the eye. Pupillary Reflex Assessment of Patient Suitability for Contact Lenses. Pupillary light reflex. light being shone into the eye) Pupillary light reflex. The pupillary light reflex tests both cranial nerves II and III. When moving focus from a distant to a near object, the eyes converge. Exam Note if they are brisk or sluggish and if they are symmetric. circular muscle Classify the pupillary reflexes as somatic or visceral based on the effector involved. Pupillary reflex Pupillary reflex refers to one of the reflexes associated with pupillary function. Although the pupillary response, in which the pupil dilates or constricts due to light is not usually called a "reflex", it is still usually considered a part of this topic. Anatomy and Physiology The optic nerve sends impulses to the brain for further processing and image recognition. However, also testing the pupillary light reflex will give a more complete picture of oculomotor nerve involvement. Normally, pupils react (constrict) equally. Both pupils should constrict and maintain symmetry. First, inspect both pupils and make sure they are equal in size and shape. Indirect pupillary reflex ( consensual pupillary reflex ): constriction of the pupil in response to illumination of the contralateral eye Anatomical pathway of nerve fibers Retinal ganglion cell neurons first-order Impulses from the retina travel in the afferent optic nerve (CN II) to the optic chiasm optic chiasm Abnormal pupillary reflex can be found in optic nerve injury, oculomotor nerve damage, brain stem lesion (including brain stem death), and depressant drugs, such as barbiturates. What is the main stimulus for pupillary light reflex? Pupillary reflexes involve the autonomic (Edinger-Westphal) component of the oculomotor nucleus. In the light reflex, the pupils constrict when light is shone on the retina. If one eye only is stimulated, both pupils constrict, the so-called consensual reflex.