CHAPTER 4.22: Auditory Pathway

Question 1

describe the general auditory pathway.

Answer 1

inner ear -> auditory nerve -> cochlear nucleus -> thalamus (medial geniculate nucleus) -> primary auditory cortex

Question 2

what is the cochlear nucleus? what structure in the optical system is it analogous to?

Answer 2

crossover point of auditory signals to the opposite hemisphere (contralateral) . analogous to optic chiasm.

Question 3

what is the epsilateral hemisphere

Answer 3

same hemisphere that signal comes from

Question 5

what is the medial geniculate nucleus? what optic system structure is it analogous to?

Answer 5

structure within thalamus routing auditory info. analogous to lateral geniculate nucleus

Question 6

where is primary auditory cortex? what is its function?

Answer 6

tucked away near temporal lobe. where breakdown of raw auditory info (into frequencies) occurs.

Question 7

primary auditory cortex organized similar to ____ (tonotopic map)

Answer 7

cochlea