True or false: Binocular visual processing starts at the LGN.

The statement is false because binocular visual processing begins at the level of the primary visual cortex (V1) rather than the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Although the LGN plays a crucial role in visual processing by relaying information from the retina to the cortex, it primarily processes monocular inputs—one eye at a time.

In the retina, images from the left and right eyes are sent to different layers of the LGN. It is in the primary visual cortex where these inputs from both eyes are combined and processed to create a unified perception of the visual field, leading to depth perception and stereopsis. This synaptic interaction between the signals from both eyes is vital for binocular vision, allowing for the perception of depth and dimensionality. Thus, while the LGN is an important component of the visual pathway, the actual integration for binocular processing begins once the signals reach the cortex.