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Hearing

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.

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The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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Association Areas of the Cortex

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Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Functional Imaging of Auditory Cortex in Adult Cats using High-field fMRI

Functional Imaging of Auditory Cortex in Adult Cats using High-field fMRI

Published on: February 19, 2014

Structure and function of auditory cortex: music and speech.

Robert J. Zatorre¹, Pascal Belin, Virginia B. Penhune

¹Montreal Neurological Institute, 3801 University St, Que´bec, H3A 2B4, Montreal, Canada

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

|February 19, 2002

Summary

Speech and music processing rely on distinct acoustic cues. Brain hemisphere specialization in auditory cortex optimizes temporal and spectral sound analysis.

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Area of Science:

Auditory Neuroscience
Psychoacoustics
Neuroscience

Background:

Speech and music are complex auditory stimuli.
Different acoustic features characterize speech (rapid, broadband) and music (tonal, frequency changes).
The human auditory system processes these diverse acoustic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the differential use of acoustic cues in speech and music perception.
To explore hemispheric specialization within the auditory cortex for processing temporal and spectral information.
To propose a neurobiological basis for optimizing auditory processing in the environment.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of acoustic features in speech and music.
Review of neuroimaging and psychoacoustic studies on auditory processing.
Theoretical modeling of auditory cortical function.

Main Results:

Speech processing is strongly linked to rapid, broadband acoustic changes.
Musical sound processing emphasizes slower temporal patterns with precise frequency variations.
Evidence suggests left auditory cortex excels in temporal resolution, while the right excels in spectral resolution.

Conclusions:

Hemispheric specialization in the auditory cortex may optimize processing of different acoustic domains.
Cortical asymmetries provide a general mechanism for adapting to the acoustic environment.
This specialization facilitates the distinct processing demands of speech and music.