2007, p239 Neural anatomy The Auditory System So!nd waves ca!se the t"mpanic membrane, also #nown as the eardr!m, to vibrate. $hese vibrations are transmitted along the ossic!lar chain. %hen the vibrations arrive at the scala vestib!li of the cochlea, which can be seen in Fig!re &, the" are converted into press!re waves. 'igh pitched so!nds will create higher fre(!enc" waves. $hese press!re waves cross the vestib!lar membrane to the basilar membrane. )epending on the fre(!enc" of the press!re waves, i.e. the pitch of the so!nd, di*erent lengths of +bers will resonate. For e,ample, high pitched so!nds will ca!se shorter +bers to resonate. $his resonance depolarises local inner hair cells on the epitheli!m of the organ of -orti, which release an e,citator" transmitter s!bstance. $he hair cells connect to the peripheral processes of bipolar spiral ganglion cells, the central processes of which ma#e !p a large part of the cochlear nerve. $he cochlear nerve +bers end at the cochlear n!cle!s of the brainstem. $he pathwa" ta#en from this point onwards can be seen in Fig!re 2. $he central a!ditor" pathwa" is partl" ipsilateral to minimise loss of hearing if one side is damaged. .t the s!perior cochlear n!cle!s, the bina!ral ne!rons are inhibited b" contralateral inp!ts, whilst ipsilateral inp!ts are e,citator". $his allows the magni+cation of di*erences in the intensit" and timing of so!nds entering the ears, enabling the location of a so!nd to be determined. $he n!clei of the lateral leminisc!s form the lin#age for re/e, arcs, s!ch as the 0startle response1 to s!dden lo!d noises. 2nformation is combined at the inferior collic!l!s. $he principal ne!rons of the medial genic!late bod" provide a!ditor" radiation to the primar" a!ditor" corte, in the g"r!s of 'eschel. $he primar" a!ditor" comple, responds to contralateral stim!li, therefore removal of the Figure 2: )orsal view of the brainstem, showing central a!ditor" pathwa"s. (Fitzgerald, 2007, p230 s!perior temporal g"r!s has a signi+cant e*ect on the abilit" of an individ!al to discern the location of a so!nd. Sensorine!ral deafness can be ca!sed b" disease in the cochlea or its ne!ral pathwa"s to the brain. .n e,ample of sensorine!ral deafness is high4fre(!enc" hearing loss in the elderl" d!e to the deterioration of the organ of -orti. (Fitzgerald, 2007 References 5. 6. $. Fitzgerald, 7. 7r!ener, 8. 5t!i, 2007. Clinical Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience. 9th ed. :hiladelphia; Sa!nders 8lsevier