--- title: "Visual Network" docid: "404625d9-3125-4923-9f9d-53d0f81c3542" authors: - key: "15a1b74a-5576-4e3a-a193-2d84e315fbd0" value: "Jeffrey S. Anderson, MD, PhD" breadcrumbs: - name: "Brain" slug: "brain" treeNodeId: "6d8829f1-14d7-45af-8675-255189aa526a" - name: "Anatomy" slug: "anatomy" treeNodeId: "45a4cfd4-910b-4f11-8eba-c887895fdbf8" - name: "Brain Network Anatomy" slug: "brain-network-anatomy" treeNodeId: "95c502bb-ba84-4fbc-be46-f1f2600ce4dd" - name: "Visual Network" slug: "visual-network" treeNodeId: null category: "Brain" documentVersionId: "6e469918-0145-4a20-93a5-2cc5da2e3cac" imageCount: 1 lastUpdated: "02/23/21" pageDescription: "Visual Network" pageKeywords: "Brain, Anatomy, Brain Network Anatomy, Visual Network" pageTitle: "Visual Network | STATdx" enhancedTitle: "Visual Network" type: "ANATOMY" references: true breadcrumbs: - "Brain" - "Anatomy" - "Brain Network Anatomy" - "Visual Network" --- # IMAGING ANATOMY - ## Overview - Visual cortex consumes virtually all of the occipital lobe, from primary sensory areas along the calcarine sulcus and occipital pole through the posterior parietal and temporal lobes - 2 primary sensory processing streams - Dorsal pathway ("where" pathway) extends from V1/V2 to V3 and into medial posterior parietal lobe - Processes localization of stimuli in space, visual attention, spatial awareness, coordination of reaching and grasping - Ventral pathway ("what" pathway) extends from V1/V2 to V4, V5/MT, and anterior inferior temporal lobe (AIT) - Processes complex feature detection in visual stimuli, motion perception - Multiple bilateral visual processing areas, each with a complete retinotopic map of visual space (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5/MT, V6, IPS regions) - ## Primary (Striate) Visual Cortex (V1) - 1st visual area receiving sensory input in the cortex - Located along margins of the calcarine sulcus - Foveal vision near occipital pole, with more peripheral vision extending anteriorly - ## Extrastriate Visual Cortex (V2, V3, V4, V5/MT) - V2 (Brodmann area 18): Immediately borders V1, with inverted retinotopic maps - V3 (Brodmann area 19): Superior and anterior area V2, part of dorsal stream - Processes progressively more abstract feature extraction - V3A and V3B retinotopic maps - V4 (Brodmann area 19 ): Anterior to V2 in lateral occipital cortex, part of ventral stream - Lateral occipital: LO-1, LO-2 retinotopic maps along lateral occipital cortex anterior to V3 - Ventral occipital, human V4: VO-1, VO-2, hV4 retinotopic maps along inferomedial occipital cortex anterior to V3 - V5 (Brodmann area 19): Middle temporal gyrus at temporooccipital junction; processes motion, color, and attention perception; part of ventral stream - V6 (Brodmann area 19): Along parietooccipital sulcus (medial motion area, analogue to primate mediodorsal area), part of dorsal stream - ## Lateral Geniculate Nuclei of Thalamus - Visualized on axial slice through superior colliculus at posterior lateral margin of the thalamus - Endpoint of optic tracts - Postsynaptic fibers extend anteromedial along Meyer loop, then posteriorly along optic radiations through visual cortex - Additional fibers likely extend through lingual gyrus of occipital lobe to reach primary visual cortex layer 4 - ## Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS0/V7, IPS1, IPS2, IPS3, IPS4) - Posterior parietal regions processing stimulus attention - Visual attentional regions along medial aspect of intraparietal sulcus - Multiple areas with complete retinotopic map of visual space (IPS0, IPS1, IPS2, IPS3, IPS4) # ANATOMY IMAGING ISSUES - ## Imaging Recommendations - Expanding ring, rotating hemifield tasks for visual field mapping - ## Imaging Pitfalls - Should check visual acuity prior to fMRI visual field mapping # CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS - ## Clinical Importance - Vascular loops (P1 segment) can compress optic tracts and result in otherwise unexplained quadrantanopsia - Presurgical visual field mapping usually focused on preserving V1/V2 retinotopic maps and foveal vision, optic radiations - DTI best for imaging course of optic radiations for presurgical mapping 906ccf1c-1128-4cd5-bfeb-c469e993ee01 ## References # Selected References 1. [Ko H et al: The emergence of functional microcircuits in visual cortex. Nature. 496(7443):96-100, 2013](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=23552948%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Baldassarre A et al: Individual variability in functional connectivity predicts performance of a perceptual task. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 109(9):3516-21, 2012](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=22315406%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Gaglianese A et al: Evidence of a direct influence between the thalamus and hMT+ independent of V1 in the human brain as measured by fMRI. Neuroimage. 60(2):1440-7, 2012](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=22300813%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Chadick JZ et al: Differential coupling of visual cortex with default or frontal-parietal network based on goals. Nat Neurosci. 14(7):830-2, 2011](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=21623362%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Wandell BA et al: Imaging retinotopic maps in the human brain. Vision Res. 51(7):718-37, 2011](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=20692278%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Wendt J et al: The functional connectivity between amygdala and extrastriate visual cortex activity during emotional picture processing depends on stimulus novelty. Biol Psychol. 86(3):203-9, 2011](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=21130141%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Yeo BT et al: The organization of the human cerebral cortex estimated by intrinsic functional connectivity. J Neurophysiol. 106(3):1125-65, 2011](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=21653723%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Zou Q et al: Functional connectivity between the thalamus and visual cortex under eyes closed and eyes open conditions: a resting-state fMRI study. Hum Brain Mapp. 30(9):3066-78, 2009](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=19172624%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Shmuel A et al: Neuronal correlates of spontaneous fluctuations in fMRI signals in monkey visual cortex: Implications for functional connectivity at rest. Hum Brain Mapp. 29(7):751-61, 2008](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=18465799%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Wandell BA et al: Visual field maps in human cortex. Neuron. 56(2):366-83, 2007](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=17964252%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Nir Y et al: Widespread functional connectivity and fMRI fluctuations in human visual cortex in the absence of visual stimulation. Neuroimage. 30(4):1313-24, 2006](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=16413791%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Hampson M et al: Changes in functional connectivity of human MT/V5 with visual motion input. Neuroreport. 15(8):1315-9, 2004](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=15167557%5Bpmid%5D) 1. [Sereno MI et al: Borders of multiple visual areas in humans revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Science. 268(5212):889-93, 1995](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=7754376%5Bpmid%5D) ## Images ### Visual Network ![The visual network cluster is shown from a 6-network parcellation of the brain based on whole-brain functional connectivity in 1,353 subjects. Regions within this cluster include striate and extrastriate visual cortex, medial parietal visual attentional regions, and lateral geniculate nuclei of the thalamus.](images/app.statdx.com_image_thumbnail_b7624fc1-0050-44c4-98bd-a683039d1ecf_annotated_false_size_900_quality_90_e45ba27877094220f634cb7f4105158123bc13b8.jpg) *The visual network cluster is shown from a 6-network parcellation of the brain based on whole-brain functional connectivity in 1,353 subjects. Regions within this cluster include striate and extrastriate visual cortex, medial parietal visual attentional regions, and lateral geniculate nuclei of the thalamus.*