Damage to visual cortex

[jess3254]

Edited:
Do people with damage to their visual cortex lose the ability to read, as well as identify objects?

[DrowNz]

yep, it refers to the severe impairment of the ability to understand spoken or written words.

[jess3254]

Yeah, thanks I thought so.

My teacher just really confused me. My fault.

[Nick]

Hmmm I'm surprised your teacher "wasn't sure". 

[jess3254]

LOL oops I actually meant people with damage to their visual cortex! NOT wernicke's aphasia...

The guy who 'mistook his wife for a hat' - people who have perfect vision but can't interpret what they're seeing... can they read?

ahh sorry my mind is a bit drifty today... i can't believe i confused that

[Nick]

LOL oops I actually meant people with damage to their visual cortex! NOT wernicke's aphasia...

The guy who 'mistook his wife for a hat' - people who have perfect vision but can't interpret what they're seeing... can they read?

ahh sorry my mind is a bit drifty today... i can't believe i confused that

Okay so I'm not 100% sure on this but I am pretty sure that they would NOT have the capacity to read. Before information is transmitted to Wernicke's area for comprehension purposes, the individual would still need to have a fully functioning visual cortex in order to process the information visually. In other words, visual interpretation would need to occur before transmission to Wernicke's area. As the individual cannot interpret visual information, Wernicke's area would be receiving distorted information (hence, the person can't read).

[daniel99]

No they wouldnt be able to. Like your example lol, they would see writing as something else e.g. a hat?

[jess3254]

Thanks Nick and Daniel Yeah, that sounds about right.

[daniel99]

Sorry, but when i posted I hadnt done chapter 2 yet.

I think if damage is done to the visual cortex you cannot read at all, as you cannot see lol???

BTW, when you said about the man seeing his wife as a hat are you referring to synaesthesia, which is a codition where people see noise as colours and objects as different things. e.g. a person as a hat?

[jess3254]

Yes, well, damage to the visual cortex can cause blindness.

However, damage to the Primary Visual association areas can produce varying amounts of difficulty in perceiving shapes and objects. I was wondering whether these individuals experience inability to read, considering.

[daniel99]

I guess it would depend on the amount of damage done and if the visual pathway can still transfer information to the occipital lobe and to the other areas of the brain to help comprehend what you are seeing? LOL im confused now ahaha..

Il ask my teacher and then clarify it...We are not really up to this yet, but il let you know when I know lol..