Chapter 2 - Anatomic organization of the auditory cortex

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Abstract

The auditory cortex is a network of areas in the part of the brain that receives inputs from the subcortical auditory pathways in the brainstem and thalamus. Through an elaborate network of intrinsic and extrinsic connections, the auditory cortex is thought to bring about the conscious perception of sound and provide a basis for the comprehension and production of meaningful utterances. In this chapter, the organization of auditory cortex is described with an emphasis on its anatomic features and the flow of information within the network. These features are then used to introduce key neurophysiologic concepts that are being intensively studied in humans and animal models. The discussion is presented in the context of our working model of the primate auditory cortex and extensions to humans. The material is presented in the context of six underlying principles, which reflect distinct, but related, aspects of anatomic and physiologic organization: (1) the division of auditory cortex into regions; (2) the subdivision of regions into areas; (3) tonotopic organization of areas; (4) thalamocortical connections; (5) serial and parallel organization of connections; and (6) topographic relationships between auditory and auditory-related areas. Although the functional roles of the various components of this network remain poorly defined, a more complete understanding is emerging from ongoing studies that link auditory behavior to its anatomic and physiologic substrates.

Section snippets

What is auditory cortex?

In every lobe of the brain are regions that contain neurons responsive to sound. Are all of these regions part of the auditory cortex? The answer depends on how auditory cortex is defined. No single definition is entirely satisfactory, but to facilitate the present discussion, it will be helpful to establish some boundaries. For example, a functional definition could be adopted such that any portion of the cerebral cortex containing neurons responsive to sound is part of auditory cortex. While

Principles of auditory cortical organization

As detailed in Chapter 1, auditory information from the cochlea is processed in five major nuclear complexes in the brainstem and thalamus before it reaches the auditory cortex. In cortex, that information is distributed among a network of auditory and auditory-related areas that presumably mediate the conscious awareness and perception of sound. Over decades of research, several principles of organization have been derived from the major anatomic and physiologic features that serve to govern

Correspondence of human and non-human primate auditory cortex

A thorough discussion of this subject is beyond the scope of this review, but it is important to at least briefly mention here that some degree of correspondence is beginning to emerge from ongoing studies of the human and non-human primate auditory cortex. While it is not likely that the cortical organization of any two species is identical, especially in the greatly expanded cortex of humans, the basic principles of organization described above are likely common to all and could therefore

Concluding remarks

The purpose of this chapter was to provide a summary of the major organizational features of the primate auditory cortex. We began by making an operational distinction between auditory and auditory-related areas of cortex. These definitions provided the basis for a subsequent overview of six principles of organization that have emerged from over 40 years of research by scores of investigators. The bulk of the chapter was devoted to descriptions of these principles, with an emphasis on the most

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of NIH/NIDCD grant R01 DC04318 to T.A.H.

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