Brodmann Areas Of The Brain, Posterior View

Description

Occipital and posterior parietal cortices dominate this posterior view of the human cerebrum, with Brodmann areas mapped across the lateral and medial surfaces around the occipital pole. Primary visual cortex (area 17) occupies the banks of the calcarine sulcus on the medial occipital lobe, bordered anteriorly and laterally by the visual association fields (areas 18 and 19). Superiorly, the map extends onto the posterior parietal region where somatosensory association territory, classically including area 7 in the superior parietal lobule and adjacent precuneus, lies superior and anterior to the occipital visual fields, separated by the parieto-occipital sulcus and adjoining sulcal patterns. Sulci are the landmarks. For teaching and clinical correlation, the posterior emphasis makes the occipital BA17 to BA19 transitions easy to localize relative to the calcarine and parieto-occipital sulci, which is the orientation many clinicians use when thinking through visual pathway lesions. Homonymous hemianopia from posterior cerebral artery infarction can be paired to the calcarine representation of the contralateral visual field, while more dorsal occipito-parietal involvement (areas 19 and 7) supports discussion of visuospatial deficits such as optic ataxia and components of Balint syndrome rather than a pure primary visual loss. The fixed posterior perspective also helps clarify why midline lesions near the occipital pole can affect macular representation, a point often missed when students only see lateral cortical maps. Neuroanatomy and neuropsychology courses can pair this illustration with perimetry charts, lesion case vignettes, and cortical column discussions for BA17, BA18, and BA19. It also fits neurology and neuroradiology publications that annotate occipital and parietal infarcts, tumors, or epileptogenic foci against Brodmann mapping for clinicopathologic correlation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.