What is "visual cortex"

n. the cortical area that receives information from the lateral geniculate body of the thalamus [syn: visual area]

The visual cortex of the brain is the part of the cerebral cortex responsible for processing visual information. This article addresses the ventral/dorsal model of the visual cortex. Another model for the perceptual/conceptual neuropsychological model of the visual cortex was studied by Raftopolous. In Russian neuropsychology, yet another model was discussed by Alexander Luria for the anterior/posterior approach to understanding the visual cortex. The visual cortex is located in the occipital lobe (one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex) which is in turn located at the back of the head or skull. The visual cortex is made up of Brodmann area 17 (the primary visual cortex), and Brodmann areas 18 and 19, the extrastriate cortical areas.

The primary (parts of the cortex that receive sensory inputs from the thalamus) visual cortex is also known as V1, Visual area one, and the striate cortex. The extrastriate areas consist of visual areas two (V2), three (V3), four (V4), and five (V5). Both hemispheres of a brain contain a visual cortex; the left hemisphere visual cortex receives signals from the right visual field, and the right visual cortex from the left visual field.