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Superior colliculus: anatomy, location and function

The superior colliculus is a paired layered structure on the dorsal midbrain involved in visual orientation and eye movements. It integrates visual, auditory and somatosensory input to direct rapid orienting movements of the eyes (saccades) and head.

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Highlighted in the model: Superior colliculus. Click any part to read about it, or switch off “Highlight topic” to see the whole body. 3D data: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0; meshes simplified and recoloured. The model is an adult male.

Superior colliculus at a glance

What it is
The superior colliculus is a paired layered structure on the dorsal midbrain involved in visual orientation and eye movements.
Location
It forms the upper pair of tectal elevations on the dorsal midbrain, above the inferior colliculi.
Function
It integrates visual, auditory and somatosensory input to direct rapid orienting movements of the eyes (saccades) and head.
Body system
Nervous · paired (left and right)
FMA ID
FMA73423 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • Receives retinal fibres through the brachium.
  • Controls reflex head and eye movements toward stimuli.

Structures next to the superior colliculus

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: Superior colliculus (FMA73423). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
  2. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §12.1 Basic Structure and Function of the Nervous System. Rice University, 2022.
  3. Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.

Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.