Calcarine sulcus

Animation of the calcarine sulcus

The calcarine sulcus is a prominent anatomical feature of the medial surface of the brain, located in the occipital lobe. It is a deep groove that plays a crucial role in the visual system of the human brain.

Anatomy

Medial view of the calcarine sulcus

The calcarine sulcus begins near the occipital pole and extends forward to the parieto-occipital sulcus. It is situated on the medial aspect of the occipital lobe and is bordered by the cuneus above and the lingual gyrus below. The sulcus is approximately 5 cm in length and is one of the earliest sulci to develop in the human brain.

Function

The calcarine sulcus is significant because it contains the primary visual cortex, also known as Brodmann area 17. This area is responsible for processing visual information received from the retina via the optic nerve. The primary visual cortex is essential for interpreting visual stimuli, such as light, color, and movement.

Brodmann area 17, related to the calcarine sulcus

Development

The calcarine sulcus is one of the first sulci to form during fetal development. It appears around the 20th week of gestation and continues to develop throughout the prenatal period. Its early formation is crucial for the proper development of the visual system.

Clinical Significance

Damage to the calcarine sulcus or the surrounding primary visual cortex can result in visual field defects, such as hemianopia, where there is a loss of vision in half of the visual field. This can occur due to stroke, trauma, or tumors affecting the occipital lobe.

Related Structures

The calcarine sulcus is closely associated with several other structures in the occipital lobe, including:

• The cuneus, which lies superior to the sulcus.
• The lingual gyrus, which is located inferior to the sulcus.
• The parieto-occipital sulcus, which intersects with the calcarine sulcus.

Images

Medial surface of cerebral cortex showing gyri

Diagram of the calcarine sulcus

Anatomical illustration showing the calcarine sulcus

Related Pages

• Visual cortex
• Occipital lobe
• Brodmann area 17
• Visual system