- This part of the inner ear is responsible for balance and spatial orientation and includes the semicircular canals and the utricle and saccule.
- Auditory Nerve: The electrical signals generated by the hair cells in the cochlea are picked up by the auditory nerve (also called the cochlear nerve). The auditory nerve carries these electrical signals from the inner ear to the brainstem.
- Auditory Pathway in the Brain: The auditory nerve connects to the cochlear nuclei in the brainstem. From there, the auditory information is relayed to various brain structures involved in auditory processing, including: a.
- Superior Olivary Complex (SOC): Responsible for sound localization and processing binaural (stereo) hearing. b. Inferior Colliculus: Plays a role in integrating auditory information and routing it to the thalamus. c. Medial newaudition Geniculate Nucleus (MGN): Located in the thalamus, it serves as a relay station for auditory information to the auditory cortex. d. Auditory Cortex: Located in the temporal lobes of the brain, it processes and interprets sound information, allowing us to perceive and understand the sounds we hear.
The auditory system’s articulation involves the precise transmission and processing of sound information at each stage, from the outer ear collecting sound waves, the middle ear amplifying and transmitting vibrations, the inner ear converting vibrations into electrical signals, to the auditory nerve conveying these signals to the appropriate brain regions for further processing and perception. This complex and intricate system enables us to enjoy the richness of sound and communicate effectively with others.