Ascending auditory afferents to the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus

Afferents from the hindbrain auditory system to the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus were analyzed by the use of orthograde and retrograde axon-tracing techniques. Three divisions of the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, a dorsal, an intermediate, and a ventral division are discussed. The dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus is a recipient of afferents from cells located mainly in the superior olivary complex and the contralateral dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. It receives direct afferents from only a few cells in the cochlear nuclei. In sharp contrast, the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus is the recipient of afferents from many cells in the contralateral ventral cochlear nucleus and from only a few cells in the superior olivary complex. Further, it receives no afferents from cells in the contralateral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus. The intermediate nucleus of the lateral lemniscus receives afferents from some cells in the cochlear nucleus and the superior olivary complex. It is unique among the three nuclei of the lateral lemniscus in that it receives a substantial projection from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body.