Vision and Visual Processing

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to visual processing, including anatomical areas, functions, and theoretical frameworks.

Primary visual cortex (V1)

The area of the brain responsible for processing visual information, organized into six layers and retinotopically mapped.

Retinotopic

A mapping of visual information such that cells in the visual cortex correspond to specific locations in the retina.

Hyper-column

A collection of columns in the visual cortex, each covering all possible orientations of stimuli for a specific area of the retina.

Ocular dominance columns

Columns in the visual cortex that respond preferentially to input from one eye over the other.

Colour vision

The ability to perceive differences in wavelength of light, allowing humans and other species to see a range of colors.

Trichromatic

A color vision system in which three types of cones respond to different wavelengths (red, green, and blue).

Opponent coding

A theory that describes how the visual system interprets color by opposing pairs, such as red-green and blue-yellow.

Ventral stream

The visual processing pathway responsible for object recognition and detail sensitivity, leading to the medial temporal lobe.

Dorsal stream

The visual processing pathway responsible for spatial awareness and motion sensitivity, leading to the posterior parietal lobe.

Akinetopsia

A neurological condition characterized by an inability to perceive motion, often linked to damage in the V5 area of the brain.

Blindsight

A phenomenon where individuals with damage to the primary visual cortex can still respond to visual stimuli without conscious awareness.

Binding problem

The challenge of integrating different features of a visual scene processed in different areas of the visual system to perceive a coherent object.

Grandmother cell theory

The hypothesis that there are specific neurons responsible for recognizing complex stimuli, such as individual faces.