Brodmann area 17 designates which functional area?

• A. Angular gyrus
• B. Motor cortex
• C. Primary visual area
• D. Heschl's gyrus

Answer: (C)

Brodmann area 17 designates the primary visual cortex, the first cortical stage that processes visual information. Located in the occipital lobe along the calcarine sulcus, it receives input from the lateral geniculate nucleus and creates the initial retinotopic representations of the visual field, handling basic features like edges and contrast. Damage to this area tends to disrupt vision in the opposite visual field, reflecting its role as the main entry point for visual processing. The other options map to different modalities or regions: the angular gyrus is tied to language, numbers, and spatial aspects; the motor cortex drives voluntary movement; and Heschl's gyrus is the primary auditory cortex.