Question

Greta underwent neurological testing for an undisclosed aliment. Doctors gave her a picture of a rowboat and asked her to trace the picture with her finger. She traced it with her finger but was unable to tell them what it was. Where might she have brain damage?

A. primary visual cortex
B. lateral geniculate body
C. visual association area
D. Superior colliculi
E. cerebellum

Answer 1

Greta's difficulty in recognizing a picture despite being able to trace it points to damage in her brain's visual association area, where the interpretation of visual stimuli into recognizable objects occurs. The correct option is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

Greta's inability to recognize a familiar object, despite being able to trace it, suggests damage to the visual association area of her brain. This area, responsible for processing visual information and associating it with stored knowledge, allows us to recognize and understand the significance of what we see.

The issue is not with her primary visual cortex, which is responsible for receiving and processing visual stimuli, as she can still see and trace the picture. Nor does it seem to be an issue with her lateral geniculate body, superior colliculi, or the cerebellum, which handle other aspects of visual processing and coordination. Instead, the problem is likely with the higher processing functions, which interpret the incoming visual signals as meaningful concepts.