The tectum is the roof of the midbrain, lying behind the cerebral aqueduct. It consists of four rounded bumps, the paired superior and inferior colliculi, together called the corpora quadrigemina. The tectum handles reflexive orientation of the eyes and head toward sights and sounds.
| Location | Dorsal midbrain, behind the cerebral aqueduct, below the pineal gland and facing the quadrigeminal cistern |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Collicular (quadrigeminal) artery; Superior cerebellar artery; Posterior choroidal arteries |
Coordinates reflex turning of the eyes and head toward visual and auditory stimuli and relays hearing signals toward the thalamus.
Compression of the tectum by pineal tumours or hydrocephalus causes Parinaud syndrome. Tectal gliomas in children are usually slow-growing and present with hydrocephalus from aqueduct narrowing rather than focal deficits.
A low-grade tumour of the midbrain roof that often blocks the cerebral aqueduct, causing headache and hydrocephalus.
Upgaze palsy, pupils that react poorly to light but constrict for near vision, and eyelid retraction from pressure on the tectum and pretectum.
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