visual cortex

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visual cortex

anatomy

Also known as: striate area, striate cortex

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July 14, 2026

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The visual cortex is a crucial part of the brain responsible for processing visual information. It encompasses the entire occipital lobe and parts of the temporal and parietal lobes. The primary visual area, known as the striate cortex, receives input from the lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus via the optic nerves.

Within the visual cortex, different areas specialize in processing specific features like color, depth, motion, and object identity. Neurons here respond to lines and edges, with further processing occurring in secondary visual areas like V2, V4, and MT. These areas analyze color constancy, motion, and form, contributing to our perception of a three-dimensional world. Information is further processed through dorsal and ventral streams, influencing action and recognition, respectively.123

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human eye
Striate area
The optic tract fibres make synapses with nerve cells in the respective layers of the lateral geniculate body, and the axons of these third-order nerve cells pass upward to the calcarine fissure (a furrow) in each occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex. This…
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The optic tract fibres make synapses with nerve cells in the respective layers of the lateral geniculate body, and the axons of these third-order nerve cells pass upward to the calcarine fissure (a furrow) in each occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex. This…
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human nervous system
Vision
…visual area, also called the striate cortex, is on the medial side of the occipital lobe and is surrounded by the secondary visual area. The visual cortex is sensitive to the position and orientation of edges, the direction and speed of movement of objects in the visual field, and stereoscopic…
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…visual area, also called the striate cortex, is on the medial side of the occipital lobe and is surrounded by the secondary visual area. The visual cortex is sensitive to the position and orientation of edges, the direction and speed of movement of objects in the visual field, and stereoscopic…
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neuroplasticity
Cross-modal reassignment
…somatosensory, input redirected to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe (region of the cerebrum located at the back of the head) of the brain—specifically, in an area known as V1. Sighted people, however, do not display any V1 activity when presented with similar touch-oriented experiments. This occurs because neurons…
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…somatosensory, input redirected to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe (region of the cerebrum located at the back of the head) of the brain—specifically, in an area known as V1. Sighted people, however, do not display any V1 activity when presented with similar touch-oriented experiments. This occurs because neurons…
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Torsten Wiesel
…their collaborative studies of the visual cortex, which is located in the occipital lobes of the cerebrum.
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…their collaborative studies of the visual cortex, which is located in the occipital lobes of the cerebrum.
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