<ol>
<li>20-30% vision. See <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2016.00037" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sheth &amp; Young (2016)</a> which cites Van Essen (2003).</li>
<li>27% vision, 8% auditory (Van Essen, 2003)</li>
<li>I have seen some earlier references that say 50%. I think this derives from two factors. First, it is 50% in Macaque (see above ref 1).  Second, my feeling (I haven't dug into this in enough detail to conclusively state it, so please don't quote me on this!) is that earlier studies on humans were more speculative and tended to follow that 50% as a best guess in absence of direct measurements. </li>
<li>As some of the above answers point out, one needs to be careful in defining what part of the brain and what vision means.  If one were to include the subcortical structures (i.e., amygdala, superior colliculus, pulvina, LGN) the estimate of total brain (not just the cerebrum cortex) would be different. </li>
</ol>

<p><sub>
Sheth, B. R., &amp; Young, R. (2016). <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2016.00037" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Two visual pathways in primates based on sampling of space: exploitation and exploration of visual information.</a> Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 10, 37.<br>
Van Essen, D. C. (2003). Organization of visual areas in macaque and human cerebral cortex. The visual neurosciences, 1, 507-521. 
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-14T13:48:08.830Z
2019-08-13T14:40:16.313Z
2019-08-13T14:40:16.313Z
Brian
<p>I have read in some websites that the percentage of the cortex devoted to processing visual information is from 30-66% with some claiming even 90%. And compared to that, only about 3% is dedicated to hearing. </p>

<p>Is this true? </p>

<p>The only source I've found stating something similar is from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sells &amp; Fixott (1957)</a> where 50% of the
neural tissue is devoted to vision and almost two-thirds of the
electrical activity of the brain is devoted to vision when the eyes are open.</p>

<p>I haven't found anything related to hearing though. Does anyone know of a paper where this is discussed?</p>

<p><strong>References</strong></p>

<p>Sells, S.B. &amp; Fixott, R. S. (1957). Evaluation of Research on Effects of Visual Training on Visual Functions. <em>American Journal of Ophthalmology</em> 44(2), 230—236<br>DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-01T22:52:45.310Z
It is interesting that there are plenty of quotes for the Fixot paper, but no information on what the paper was titled or DOI.  Just *"Fixot, RS. American Journal of Ophthalmology; 1957"*.  I even did a search on the [AJO Website](http://www.ajo.com/) with no success.  Is this a genuine quote or is everyone just repeating a false quote with a false citation?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-01T23:06:58.233Z
Ah, [Bowen, (2012)](http://simplybrainy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/2008-Int-Vis-Other-Senses-All-Illustrations.pdf) gives us the month of August for publication date.  I did a manual search and found it.  I couldn't find the information cited though.  Maybe I am missing something.  Full citation will be added by editting
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-02T09:18:17.923Z
I had exactly the same issue. Have you found anything on the hearing claim?
Girauder
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-02T11:18:39.500Z
The closest I can see is *"not over 50 percent of the variance in visual acuity was accounted for by structural, optic, and anatomic factors reflected in the retinoscopic refraction."*  Not being an expert in this field, I am not sure this backs the statements made by others.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-02T15:16:01.907Z
The claim in usually that 90% of our sensory information/perception is from vision, not that 90% of cortex in devoted to vision.
Majid khalili
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-08T20:17:24.350Z
Majid khalili: Thank you for your comment on that distinction. I am currently evaluating some hypotheses and estimations of the % of our brain supporting our vision. The implication of that hypothesis seems to be that our adaptation, survival and reproduction have been most successful due to our vision. Given how much we have been accelerating the technologies supporting our sense of vision, that argument has much to support it.
Ifitsxori
<vision><brain><hearing>
Proportion of cortex dedicated for vision and hearing
Girauder
# Proportion of cortex dedicated for vision and hearing

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-01)

I have read in some websites that the percentage of the cortex devoted to processing visual information is from 30-66% with some claiming even 90%. And compared to that, only about 3% is dedicated to hearing.

Is this true?

The only source I've found stating something similar is from [Sells & Fixott (1957)](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0) where 50% of the
neural tissue is devoted to vision and almost two-thirds of the
electrical activity of the brain is devoted to vision when the eyes are open.

I haven't found anything related to hearing though. Does anyone know of a paper where this is discussed?

**References**

Sells, S.B. & Fixott, R. S. (1957). Evaluation of Research on Effects of Visual Training on Visual Functions. *American Journal of Ophthalmology* 44(2), 230—236  
DOI: [10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9394(57)90012-0)

**Tags:** vision, brain, hearing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It is interesting that there are plenty of quotes for the Fixot paper, but no information on what the paper was titled or DOI.  Just *"Fixot, RS. American Journal of Ophthalmology; 1957"*.  I even did a search on the [AJO Website](http://www.ajo.com/) with no success.  Is this a genuine quote or is everyone just repeating a false quote with a false citation?  
> **username_1**: Ah, [Bowen, (2012)](http://simplybrainy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/2008-Int-Vis-Other-Senses-All-Illustrations.pdf) gives us the month of August for publication date.  I did a manual search and found it.  I couldn't find the information cited though.  Maybe I am missing something.  Full citation will be added by editting  
> **username_0**: I had exactly the same issue. Have you found anything on the hearing claim?  
> **username_1**: The closest I can see is *"not over 50 percent of the variance in visual acuity was accounted for by structural, optic, and anatomic factors reflected in the retinoscopic refraction."*  Not being an expert in this field, I am not sure this backs the statements made by others.  
> **username_2**: The claim in usually that 90% of our sensory information/perception is from vision, not that 90% of cortex in devoted to vision.  
> **username_3**: username_2: Thank you for your comment on that distinction. I am currently evaluating some hypotheses and estimations of the % of our brain supporting our vision. The implication of that hypothesis seems to be that our adaptation, survival and reproduction have been most successful due to our vision. Given how much we have been accelerating the technologies supporting our sense of vision, that argument has much to support it.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-07-14. Score: 3

1. 20-30% vision. See [Sheth & Young (2016)](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2016.00037) which cites Van Essen (2003).
2. 27% vision, 8% auditory (Van Essen, 2003)
3. I have seen some earlier references that say 50%. I think this derives from two factors. First, it is 50% in Macaque (see above ref 1). Second, my feeling (I haven't dug into this in enough detail to conclusively state it, so please don't quote me on this!) is that earlier studies on humans were more speculative and tended to follow that 50% as a best guess in absence of direct measurements.
4. As some of the above answers point out, one needs to be careful in defining what part of the brain and what vision means. If one were to include the subcortical structures (i.e., amygdala, superior colliculus, pulvina, LGN) the estimate of total brain (not just the cerebrum cortex) would be different.

Sheth, B. R., & Young, R. (2016). [Two visual pathways in primates based on sampling of space: exploitation and exploration of visual information.](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2016.00037) Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 10, 37.  
Van Essen, D. C. (2003). Organization of visual areas in macaque and human cerebral cortex. The visual neurosciences, 1, 507-521.


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