Pupil Size as a Window on Neural Substrates of Cognition

Published on April 22, 2020

Cognitively driven pupil modulations reflect certain underlying brain functions. What do these reflections tell us? Here, we review findings that have identified key roles for three neural systems: cortical modulation of the pretectal olivary nucleus (PON), which controls the pupillary light reflex; the superior colliculus (SC), which mediates orienting responses, including pupil changes to salient stimuli; and the locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine (NE) neuromodulatory system, which mediates relationships between pupil-linked arousal and cognition.

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