title: [Superior colliculus as a subcortical center for visual selection].
abstract: Our visual system has limited resources, which need to be allocated in priority to the most relevant elements of the environment. The brain centers of this allocation mechanism, called visual attention, have been studied primarily in cortex. In this review, we describe the role of the superior colliculus, a structure of the brainstem, in attention control. This nucleus exerts its influence on visual selection independently of cortical attentional mechanisms. The exact nature of the subcortical circuits involved remains unknown but it can be hypothesized that the loop connecting the superior colliculus to the basal ganglia are a central actor of this subcortical selection process.
authors.affiliation: Institut de neurosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgique - Systems neurobiology laboratory, Salk institute for biological studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines road, La Jolla, California 92037, États-Unis.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zénon
authors.affiliation: Systems neurobiology laboratory, Salk institute for biological studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines road, La Jolla, California 92037, États-Unis - Laboratory of sensorimotor research, National eye institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, États-Unis.
authors.forename: Rich
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krauzlis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception