Neuroanatomy, Occipital Lobe

Excerpt

The occipital lobe is the smallest of the four lobes of the cerebral hemisphere. It is present posterior to the parietal and temporal lobes. Thus, it forms the caudal part of the brain. Relative to the skull, the lobe lies underneath the occipital bone. It rests on the tentorium cerebelli, which separates it from the cerebellum. The paired occipital lobes are separated from each other by a cerebral fissure. The posteriormost part of the occipital lobe is known as the occipital pole.

The occipital lobe is primarily responsible for visual processing. It contains the primary and association visual cortex.