Calcarine

Calcarine refers to the calcarine sulcus, a deep groove on the medial surface of the occipital lobe. It runs along the inner bank of the brain and serves as a landmark for the primary visual cortex.

Anatomy and location: The calcarine sulcus separates the cuneus from the lingual gyrus. The banks of the calcarine sulcus house the primary visual cortex (V1), also known as Brodmann area 17. The region lies near the posterior aspect of the occipital lobe and is supplied mainly by the calcarine branches of the posterior cerebral artery.

Function: The calcarine cortex contains the brain’s primary visual processing area. It processes basic visual information such as orientation, edges, and gains a retinotopic map that preserves spatial relationships from the visual field. Visual input from the contralateral visual field is represented along the banks of the calcarine sulcus.

Clinical significance: Lesions affecting the calcarine cortex can produce contralateral visual field deficits. Because the area is part of the primary visual system, damage can lead to cortical blindness in the corresponding field of view, with the extent and pattern of loss depending on the size and location of the lesion. The calcarine region is a common site of focal pathology in cases of stroke or tumors involving the posterior cerebral circulation.

Etymology and terminology: The term calcarine derives from calcar, meaning spur, reflecting its anatomical relation to the calcarine fissure in the occipital lobe. The adjacent descriptive terms include calcarine sulcus and calcarine cortex.