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Auditory Pathway

Auditory Pathway

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.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...

Cerebral Hemispheres

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...

Hearing

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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Specialization along the left superior temporal sulcus for auditory categorization.

Einat Liebenthal¹, Rutvik Desai, Michael M Ellingson

¹Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. einatl@mcw.edu

Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)

|April 13, 2010

Summary

Training enhances auditory cortex function for categorizing unfamiliar sounds. The left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) plays a key role in learning new sound categories, while the middle superior temporal sulcus (mSTS) is involved in familiar sounds.

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Combined Shuttle-Box Training with Electrophysiological Cortex Recording and Stimulation as a Tool to Study Perception and Learning

Combined Shuttle-Box Training with Electrophysiological Cortex Recording and Stimulation as a Tool to Study Perception and Learning

Published on: October 22, 2015

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Auditory Perception
Cognitive Science

Background:

The superior temporal cortex processes complex auditory information.
Understanding how the brain learns and categorizes novel sounds is crucial for auditory perception research.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the functional changes in the middle and posterior superior temporal cortex during sound categorization learning.
To differentiate the roles of left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) and left middle superior temporal sulcus (mSTS) in processing familiar and unfamiliar auditory patterns.

Main Methods:

Simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were used.
Auditory categorization tasks involving unfamiliar nonphonemic patterns (NP) and familiar phonemic patterns (P) were conducted before and after training.

Main Results:

fMRI activation in the left pSTS increased for NP after training, alongside an enhanced ERP P2 response.
fMRI activation in the left mSTS was specific to familiar P patterns and unaffected by training.
ERP responses to P were also independent of training, with sources estimated more anteriorly in the superior temporal cortex.

Conclusions:

The left pSTS is critical for short-term representation and identification of newly acquired sound categories.
The left mSTS mediates the categorization of highly familiar phonemic patterns through long-term representations.
These findings offer new insights into the distinct functions of the ventral and dorsal auditory streams.