The term "planum occipitale" refers to the flat, upper portion of the occipital lobe of the brain. The spelling of this word is as follows: /ˈplɑːnəm ˌɒksɪˈpeɪtəli/. The first syllable is spelled with an "a" followed by a double "n," while the second syllable begins with the letter "o" and ends with the letter "e." The final syllable is pronounced "lee." Understanding the IPA phonetic transcription helps to accurately spell and pronounce this term.
Planum occipitale, also known as the occipital plane, is a term used to describe a specific area located in the posterior region of the human brain. It is situated within the occipital lobe, the most posterior lobe of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for processing visual information.
The planum occipitale is situated on the lateral surface of the occipital lobe and is found just above the calcarine sulcus, which is a prominent sulcus that divides the occipital lobe into superior and inferior halves. It encompasses a region that extends towards the posterior margin of the brain, making up a significant part of the occipital lobe.
Functionally, the planum occipitale plays a crucial role in visual processing. It serves as the primary visual cortex, also referred to as V1 or the striate cortex, which is responsible for receiving and processing visual information from the eyes. It serves as the initial stage of visual processing, where basic features such as orientation, color, and motion of visual stimuli are analyzed before being conveyed to higher-order visual areas for further processing.
Studies have shown that the planum occipitale exhibits a high level of plasticity and is capable of reorganizing itself depending on the visual input it receives. Neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have allowed researchers to map and study the activity patterns and connectivity of the planum occipitale in order to gain a deeper understanding of visual perception and cognition.
Occipital plain, the outer surface of the occipital bone above the superior curved line, covered by the hairy scalp.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The term "planum occipitale" has its origin in Latin.
- "Planum" comes from the Latin word "planus", which means "flat or level". It is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*pleh₁-" meaning "to spread or smooth".
- "Occipitale" is the neuter form of the Latin word "occipitalis", which is derived from "occiput" and refers to the back of the head. "Occiput" is a combination of two Latin words: "ob" which means "against" and "caput" meaning "head".
Therefore, "planum occipitale" can be translated as "flat region at the back of the head" or "level area of the occiput". It is often used in anatomy to refer to a specific area on the posterior part of the skull.