The Mammalian Auditory Pathways

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xviii

   PDF

2. Introduction to Mammalian Auditory Pathways

   • Douglas L. Oliver, Nell B. Cant

   Pages 1-6

3. Overview of Auditory Projection Pathways and Intrinsic Microcircuits

   • Nell B. Cant, Douglas L. Oliver

   Pages 7-39

4. Microcircuits of the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus

   • Maria E. Rubio

   Pages 41-71

5. Microcircuits of the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus

   • Laurence O. Trussell, Donata Oertel

   Pages 73-99

6. Integration of Synaptic and Intrinsic Conductances Shapes Microcircuits in the Superior Olivary Complex

   • Conny Kopp-Scheinpflug, Ian D. Forsythe

   Pages 101-126

7. Neurons, Connections, and Microcircuits of the Inferior Colliculus

   • Tetsufumi Ito, Manuel S. Malmierca

   Pages 127-167

8. Sensing Sound Through Thalamocortical Afferent Architecture and Cortical Microcircuits

   • Heather L. Read, Alex D. Reyes

   Pages 169-198

9. Auditory Cortex Circuits

   • Eike Budinger, Patrick O. Kanold

   Pages 199-233

10. Circuits for Modulation of Auditory Function

    • Brett R. Schofield, Laura Hurley

    Pages 235-267

The auditory system is a complex neural system composed of many types of neurons connected into networks. One feature that sets the auditory system apart from other sensory systems, such as somatosensory or visual systems, is the many stages of neural processing that occur between the ear in the periphery and the cerebral cortex. Each stage is composed of specialized types of neurons connected in specific microcircuits that perform computations on the information about sound. To understand this processing, all the tools of neuroscience must be employed.   The proposed text integrates cell biology, synaptic physiology, and electrophysiology to fully develop the topic, presenting an overview of the functional anatomy of the central auditory system. It is organized based on the neuronal connectivity of the central auditory system, which emphasizes the neurons, their synaptic organization, and their formation of functional pathways and microcircuits. The goal of the book is to stimulate research into the cell biology of the central auditory system and the characteristics of the specific neurons and connections that are necessary for normal hearing. Future research on the development of the central auditory including that employing stem cells will require such information in order to engineer appropriate therapeutic approaches. ​

• cell biology
• electrophysiology
• synaptic physiology
• intrinsic microcircuits
• ventral cochlear nucleus
• dorsal cochlear nucleus
• superior olivary complex
• inferior colliculus
• Thalamocortical Afferent Architecture
• modulation

“This is an in-depth discussion of the CNS pathways involved in hearing pathways. Auditory afferents, efferents, and their reciprocal connections in rats, cats, monkeys, and other species are discussed with an emphasis on the circuitry. … This is a good book for neurophysiologists, researchers, neurologists, and audiologists.” (Joseph Grenier, Amazon.com, June, 2018)

• Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, USA

  Douglas L. Oliver

• Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA

  Nell B. Cant

• Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, USA

  Richard R. Fay

• Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

  Arthur N. Popper

​Douglas S. Oliver is Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington 

Nell B. Cant is Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham


Richard R. Fay is Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at Loyola University Chicago

Arthur N. Popper is Professor Emeritus and research Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park

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