Postopticus is a medical term used to describe the area behind the optic chiasm. The word is spelled with a silent "p" at the beginning and is pronounced as /poʊstˈɒptɪkəs/. The "o" sound in both syllables is pronounced like the "o" in "go." Meanwhile, the "pt" in the beginning of the word is pronounced like "t." The combination of "t" and "i" is pronounced like "sh" in the second syllable. The final syllable is pronounced like "kus."
Postopticus is an adjective that is primarily used in the field of anatomy and physiology to describe structures or aspects related to the area behind or beyond the optic chiasm. The term is derived from the Latin words "post," meaning "after" or "beyond," and "opticus," which refers to something connected with the optic nerve or vision.
In the context of anatomical structures, postopticus typically pertains to regions or pathways located posteriorly to the optic chiasm. The optic chiasm, situated at the base of the brain, is a crucial structure where the optic nerves cross each other partially. Therefore, postoptic structures essentially lie beyond this particular point.
Usage of this term is commonly seen in scientific literature related to the visual system, neurology, and ophthalmology. For instance, postoptic pathways may refer to the neural connections and pathways that transmit visual information after the optic chiasm, such as in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus or the primary visual cortex located in the occipital lobe.
Overall, the term postopticus is utilized to describe the anatomical or physiological elements that occur posteriorly to the optic chiasm, often involving the processing, transmission, or interpretation of visual stimuli within the visual system.
Any one of the optic lobes, or quadrigeminal bodies.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.