The brain is a complex structure that has many parts. Of course, this is to be expected, especially since it is the coordinator of the body. The main parts of the brain are the cerebrum, cerebellum and the medulla. There are other structures that are not as prominent as the three mentioned above.
The cerebrum, which is the largest brain structure, has four lobes that are very important to our existence as humans. The frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes all have different functions and damage to any or all could be fatal to the individual. Other structures that will be discussed are the medulla and the pons. More information on the occipital lobe can be found as you scroll through this page.
The occipital lobe (in green) is located under the skull’s occipital bone, in the rearmost area of the brain. It houses the visual cortex and is sometimes referred to as the seat of the brain’s visual cortex. It interacts with the eyes/retina to take in visual information. Additionally, it works with the frontal lobe to use the motor cortex for eye movement. The occipital lobe also works with the temporal lobe to help assign meaning to visual information and encode it to memory.
The occipital lobe contains many structures that work with each other and with other parts of the brain to ensure full functionality. Some of those structures are:
- Brodmann Area 17: This is also known as the V1. It is located in the occipital lobe’s calcarine sulcus. It is the brain’s primary visual cortex and is responsible for processing location, spatial information and color data.
- Ventral Stream: This is also known as the V2. It is the secondary visual cortex and it attaches meaning to visual data.
- Dorsomedial Stream: This serves as a bridge between V1 and V2.
- Lateral Geniculate Bodies: They take optic data from the eyes and send it to the visual cortices.
- Lingula: Receives information from the contralateral inferior retina to gather info about field of vision. Contralateral means the opposite side of the body, inferior means below, and the retina is the part of the eye.
Damage to the occipital lobe could possibly lead to difficulties with vision processing and other processes that require visual information to be interpreted. Some possible signs of damage are:
- Epilepsy with an increased vulnerability to seizures
- Difficulty with accurate movement due to impaired vision
- Difficulty recognizing familiar faces and objects
- Difficulty processing colors
- Difficulty with recognizing moving objects
- Hallucinations
- Difficulty locating objects in one’s field of view
SpinalCord.com Team. Occipital Lobe: Function, Location, and Structure, 4 Nov. 2020, www.spinalcord.com/occipital-lobe.
*This site content is provided for informational purposes only and does not intend to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have medical questions and/or concerns, please contact a medical professional.