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Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Visual System01:26

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

Complete pattern of ocular dominance columns in human primary visual cortex.

Daniel L Adams1, Lawrence C Sincich, Jonathan C Horton

  • 1Beckman Vision Center, Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0730, USA.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|September 28, 2007
PubMed
Summary

This study examined the visual cortex in individuals with monocular vision loss, revealing that ocular dominance columns in the primary visual cortex (V1) are present but variable. The blind spot served as a landmark for mapping the central visual field representation.

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Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns
09:42

Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns

Published on: May 12, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns
09:42

Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns

Published on: May 12, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual System Research
  • Human Brain Anatomy

Background:

  • The organization of the human visual cortex, particularly ocular dominance columns, remains incompletely understood.
  • Cytochrome oxidase (CO) staining is a key method for visualizing metabolic activity and columnar structures in the visual cortex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure and organization of ocular dominance columns in the primary visual cortex (V1) of adult humans with monocular visual loss.
  • To analyze the representation of the central visual field within the striate cortex and compare it to non-human primates.
  • To explore potential correlations between early-onset monocular vision loss and the development of visual cortical structures.

Main Methods:

  • Postmortem occipital lobe tissue from six adult subjects with monocular visual loss was used.
  • Flat-mount processing for cytochrome oxidase (CO) staining to visualize metabolic activity and ocular dominance columns in V1 and V2.
  • Measurement of V1 surface area, ocular dominance column width, and the proportion of cortex representing the central visual field.

Main Results:

  • Ocular dominance columns were consistently observed in V1, with significant variability in pattern and width (mean 863 microm).
  • The blind spot of the contralateral eye served as a reliable landmark, delineating the central 15 degrees of the visual field, which occupied a mean of 53.1% of striate cortex.
  • While V1 showed equal representation for each eye within the central 15 degrees, the contralateral eye dominated beyond this eccentricity (63%).
  • In one case of early-onset monocular loss (age 4 months), shrinkage of ocular dominance columns was observed.
  • Cytochrome oxidase stripes in V2 were present but could not be definitively classified as thick or thin.

Conclusions:

  • Human ocular dominance columns in V1 are present but exhibit considerable variability, with some patterns resembling non-human primates.
  • The central visual field representation in human V1 is substantial but proportionally smaller than in macaques.
  • Early-onset monocular visual loss can lead to structural changes, such as column shrinkage, in the developing visual cortex.
  • Further research is needed to fully characterize V2 organization and its relationship to V1.