The Auditory Striatum in Sensory Gating and Perceptual Decision-Making

The auditory striatum, a caudal sensory-related region of the basal ganglia, has emerged as an important node linking auditory processing to behavioral responses. It integrates bottom-up auditory information conveyed by thalamic and cortical pathways, while top-down cortical signals and neuromodulatory dopamine inputs dynamically shape this integration, positioning the auditory striatum as a flexible interface between sensory processing and action. Recent circuit-level studies suggest that this region contributes to auditory information filtering, temporal processing, and auditory-guided decision-making through the integration of sensory evidence and local inhibitory mechanisms. These findings provide a circuit framework for understanding how auditory signals are transformed into decision-related representations that can guide behavior. Increasing evidence further suggests that disruption of these weighting and selection processes may contribute to auditory disorders such as tinnitus. Thus, the auditory striatum may represent an important circuit component linking auditory processing, cognitive and neuromodulatory control, and maladaptive auditory behavior.