Extrastriate area V5 was identified in many primates including humans. V5 represents an important substrate for visual motion processing. Neurons in this area show a sharp preference for direction and speed of visual stimuli. Neuronal activity correlates with the ability to detect and discriminate motion in several psychophysical paradigms. The nature of neuronal representation of motion in V5 is much debated currently. The following article provides a summary of basic anatomical, neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and behavioural data related to the role of area V5 in the processing of visual motion information.

Department of General Zoology and Neurobiology Ruhr University Bochum Germany