Which statement correctly describes the two visual processing streams from the primary visual cortex?

Which statement correctly describes the two visual processing streams from the primary visual cortex?

• A. Both streams project to the occipital lobe.
• B. One stream projects to the parietal lobe and the other to the temporal lobe.
• C. There are more than two streams to various lobes.
• D. The streams terminate in the cerebellum.

Answer: (B)

Visual information splits into two main pathways after the primary visual cortex: a dorsal pathway that travels to the parietal lobe and a ventral pathway that travels to the temporal lobe. The dorsal (parietal) stream handles spatial location and visually guided actions—essentially “where/how” things are in space. The ventral (temporal) stream handles object identity and form—essentially “what” an object is. That one stream goes to the parietal lobe and the other to the temporal lobe captures this division, making it the correct description. These streams do not both terminate in the occipital lobe; they extend onward to parietal and temporal areas. There aren’t more than two primary streams described in this framework, and they don’t terminate in the cerebellum, which is involved in coordinating movement rather than hosting the main visual processing streams.

Visual information splits into two main pathways after the primary visual cortex: a dorsal pathway that travels to the parietal lobe and a ventral pathway that travels to the temporal lobe. The dorsal (parietal) stream handles spatial location and visually guided actions—essentially “where/how” things are in space. The ventral (temporal) stream handles object identity and form—essentially “what” an object is. That one stream goes to the parietal lobe and the other to the temporal lobe captures this division, making it the correct description.

These streams do not both terminate in the occipital lobe; they extend onward to parietal and temporal areas. There aren’t more than two primary streams described in this framework, and they don’t terminate in the cerebellum, which is involved in coordinating movement rather than hosting the main visual processing streams.