Dorsal stream

The dorsal stream, also sometimes called the "where" pathway, is a pathway in the brain responsible for processing visual information related to movement and spatial relationships. It's one of two major processing streams within the visual system, working alongside the ventral stream (the "what" pathway).

• Function:
  • Visual-spatial processing: The dorsal stream excels at understanding the location of objects in space, both relative to ourselves and to each other.
  • Guiding movements: This pathway is crucial for planning and coordinating our movements, like reaching for an object or navigating through a complex environment.
  • Object manipulation: It plays a role in processing the visual information we need to interact with objects effectively. This includes judging size, depth, and distance to successfully grasp or use them.
• Pathway: The dorsal stream starts in the primary visual cortex (located at the back of the brain) and projects towards the posterior parietal cortex (in the upper back part of the brain).