Auditory Nerve Pathway A&P

Afferent Pathways

nerve structures through which an impulse, especially a sensory impression, is conducted to the cerebral cortex

Efferent Pathways

nerve structures through which an impulse passes away from the brain, especially for the innervation of muscle movement (motor)

Process/locations from Afferent & Efferent nerve fibers —> the end

• Afferent & Efferent spiral to become cochlear nerve

• Joins with vestibular = vestibulocochlear

• Internal Auditory Meatus ~ Medulla Oblongata

• Cochlear Nuclei (ventral & dorsal)

• Superior Olivary Complex

• Lateral Lemniscus ~ Pons

• Inferior Colliculus ~ Midbrain

• Medial Geniculate Body

• Auditory Cortext (Heschl’s Gyrus) (NOW IN BRAIN!)

Afferent & Efferent nerve fibers form a ________ ganglion

spiral

The spiral ganglion then becomes the…

cochlear nerve

____________ nerve joins ___________ nerve & they become the VII cranial nerve (________)

cochlear; vestibular; vestibularcochlear

Vestibular & cochlear nerve travel through ______ _________ _________ and enter the brain at the level of the _____________ ____________

Internal auditory meatus; Medulla Oblongata

Ventral & Dorsal _______ __________ starts to separate out the frequencies

cochlear nuclei

Superior _________ Complex receives information from ____________ ___________ from both ears

Olivary; cochlear nuclei

Superior Olivary complex localizes _____ ___ _____ and plays a role in _____________ reflex

sound in space; acoustic

Lateral Lemniscus functions:

• timing of sounds

• recognition of tones

• pathway for auditory system

• reflexes trigged by sudden sound

Lateral Lemniscus is on what level?

Pons level

Inferior Colliculus ________ sounds

filters

(ex. vocalizing, breathing, chewing)

Inferior Colliculus other functions/level:

• integration of signals & sounds from both ears

• frequency recognition

• pitch discrimination

• midbrain level

Medial Geniculate Body is the:

relay station

Medial Geniculate body other functions/level:

• active in localization & lateralization

• thalamus level

Auditory Cortex, also know as:

Heschl’s gyrus

Auditory Cortex/Heschl’s Gyrus function:

• primary reception area in Temporal lobe

• integrating & processing all info as it relates to speech, voice, frequency, intensity, language

Corpus Callosum:

• Large fiber tract that connects the two hemispheres of the brain

• Info transfers from one side of the brain to another

• Important for dichotic listening (simultaneous listening) & pitch perception