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AUDITORY PATHWAYS
& HEARING
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Auditory Projections
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Tonotopic
Organization
of A1
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Medial
Geniculate
Nucleus
Auditory
Cortex
Inferior Colliculus
Cochlear Nucleus
Left Auditory Nerve Superior
Olive
Right Auditory Nerve
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Auditory
Pathways
Medial
Geniculate
Nucleus
Auditory
Cortex
Inferior
Colliculus
Cochlear Nucleus
Left Auditory
Nerve
Superior
Olive
Right Auditory Nerve
Cochlea
Auditory Nerve
Cochlear Nucleus
Superior Olive
Inferior
Colliculus
Medial Geniculate
Nucleus
Primary Auditory - A1 (41)
Secondary Auditory - A2 (42)
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Auditory Pathways
Auditory Nerve - Axons from hair cells
Cochlear Nucleus - Sends information from the
auditory nerve to the Superior Olive and to the
Inferior Colliculus
Superior Olive - Analogous to the Optic Chiasm -
information from both ears crosses over to be sent
to both hemispheres
Inferior Colliculus - Analogous to the Superior
Colliculus for vision - Orienting and reflexive
localization -- recent studies show multimodal
neurons in the colliculus which share visual and
auditory information for orientation movements
Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN) Relays
information from the SO to A1
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Range of Hearing
20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000
Frequency (Hz)
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Range of Hearing
Range of
speech
sounds
20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000
Frequency (Hz)
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Audiogram
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Audiogram
critical for
certain
consonants
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Hearing Loss
Conduction Deafness - any damage to the middle
ear which impairs hearing
Nerve Deafness or Presbicusis- Effects High
Frequencies - Less elasticity in the Basilar
membrane - Loss of nutrients to cochlea -
Cumulative effects of noise
Noise Exposure - Effects High Frequencies - Both
Sudden and prolonged exposure
When high Frequency hearing is impaired speech
perception becomes increasingly difficult

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Auditory Impairments,
Sensory Substitution
& Treatments
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Types of Impairment
1. Conduction Deafness
2. Nerve Deafness
3. Cortical Deafness
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Conduction Deafness
Anything up to
but not including
the cochlea
1.Obstructions
2.Damage

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Treating
Conduction
Deafness
Remove Obstruction
Repair Eardrum
Repair Ossicles
Open Eustacian Tube
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Nerve Deafness
Damage to the Cochlea, Or
Path to Cortex
1. Cilia or Hair Cells
2. Basilar Membrane
3. Auditory Nerve
4. Olive
5. Auditory Tract
6. Inferior Colliculus
7. MGN of Thalamus
8. Auditory Projections
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Causes of Type I Nerve Deafness
Presbycusis Old Ear -- High Frequency
hearing loss
Noise Induced Hearing Loss: Also effects
high frequencies Damage to cilia or
Bassilar membrane -- Tinitus
Infection of Cochlea Damage to cilia
Meniers Disease: Excessive fluid pressure
in Cochlea damages Organ of Corti.

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Treating Type I Nerve Deafness
Cochlear Implant
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Cochlear Implant: Internal
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Cochlear Implant
Recall that the cochlea
is coiled
And that the basillar
membrane selects
frequencies
The electrode has
multiple stimulation
points that selectively
activate nerves at the
appropriate places
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Nerve Deafness
Damage to the Cochlea, Or
Path to Cortex
1. Cilia or Hair Cells
2. Basilar Membrane
3. Auditory Nerve
4. Olive
5. Auditory Tract
6. Inferior Colliculus
7. MGN of Thalamus
8. Auditory Projections
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Causes of Type II Nerve
Deafness
Degenerative nerve disease
Congenital disorder
Infection
Stroke
Trauma
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Treating Type II Nerve Deafness
No cure at present
Stem cells research is designed to allow
new nerve growth in damaged areas.
Has already worked with Parkinsons and
Tourrettes
Should work for vision, audition,
Alzheimers, Epilepsy, stroke, etc.
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Summary of Nerve Deafness
Caused by damage
between cochlea
and cortex
Cochlear Implants
Stem Cell Research
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Sensory Substitution
ASL:
Closed Captioning Foundation