Visual Association
Area
This area surrounds the primary visual area and encompasses much of the occipital lobe (18, 19)
Communicating with the primary visual area, the visual association area continues the processing of visual information
Visual Association
Area
This area analyzes color, form and movement in light of past visual experiences so that we might recognize & appreciate what we are seeing
Visual Association Area
Recent neuroimaging has revealed that complex visual processing far forward from the occipital lobe into the temporal and parietal lobes
Overall, about 30 cortical areas for visual processing have been identified, with each more sophisticated than the last
The visual information proceeds anteriorly through these visual areas in two streams
Visual Association Area
The ventral stream extends through the inferior part of the entire temporal lobe and is responsible for recognizing objects, words during reading, and faces
Facial recognition is right hemisphere only
The “what”
Visual Association Area
The dorsal stream extends through the posterior parietal cortex to the postcentral gyrus and perceives spatial relationships among different objects
The “where” things are in space
Visual Association Area
The dorsal stream in the parietal lobe is important for spatial perception
The superior part of the lobe calculates how we move our limbs through space then sends this information to the motor cortex which dictates these movements
In addition, the parietal lobe is important for abstract mathematical abilities, which are highly visual, spatial in nature
Visual Areas
Damage to the visual cortex results in functional blindness
Damage to the visual association areas results in an ability to see but not comprehend what is seen
Primary Auditory Cortex
The primary auditory cortex is located on the superior margin of the temporal lobe, primarily inside the lateral sulcus
Broadmann 41,42
It provides us with our conscious
awareness of sound
Primary Auditory Cortex
Hearing receptors in the cochlear of the inner ear transmit impulses to primary auditory cortex
Impulses related to loudness, rhythm, and especially pitch (high to low notes)
is complied
Auditory Association Area
The auditory association area lies just posterior to the primary auditory area Broadmann 22
This area evaluates and classifies sound
Memories of past sounds seem to be stored here