Extrastriate Visual Cortex: What Are We Doing With All That Brain Tissue?

The lateral geniculate body sends virtually its entire outputto striate cortex. According to the traditional view, primary visual cortex performs an initial analysis of incoming visual information, extracts the critical essence required for perception, and then transmits it to surrounding association cortex. It is believed that actual interpretation or comprehension of visual information takes place in the secondary (extrastriate) visual association cortex.