Which of the following best describes the pathway by which visual stimuli are relayed to the brain and processed?

• A. The lens converts light into chemical signals that are sent to the spinal cord and then to the frontal lobe for visual processing.
• B. Light is absorbed by the cornea, which sends electrical impulses directly to the cerebellum for interpretation.
• C. Light enters the eye, is focused by the lens onto the retina, where photoreceptors convert it into neural signals that travel via the optic nerve to the thalamus and then to the primary visual cortex for processing.
• D. Visual information is first processed in the auditory cortex before being sent to the retina for final interpretation.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the basic anatomy of the visual system, including the path light takes as it enters the eye and how it is processed.
2. Recognize that light first passes through the cornea and lens, which focus the light onto the retina at the back of the eye.
3. Know that the retina contains photoreceptors (rods and cones) that convert light into neural signals, a process called phototransduction.
4. Identify that these neural signals are transmitted via the optic nerve to the thalamus, specifically the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), which acts as a relay station.
5. Finally, understand that the signals are sent from the thalamus to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe, where visual information is processed and interpreted.