The Lower Brainstem Auditory Pathways

Abstract

In the auditory system, more than any other sensory modality, extensive processing of incoming signals occurs in the brainstem. In all vertebrates, the auditory pathways below the inferior colliculus consist of a complex system of parallel pathways, each with its own centers for signal processing. The auditory structures of the lower brainstem act as filters to selectively enhance specific stimulus features and as computational centers to add, subtract, or compare signals in different channels. Some brainstem structures, such as the superior olive, have been studied extensively, and their function is at least partially understood. Others, such as the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, have been largely ignored, and their functional roles are just beginning to be discovered.