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From: brp@bandit.berkeley.edu (Bruce Raoul Parnas)
Newsgroups: bionet.neuroscience
Subject: Re: Connections of auditory system
Message-ID: <1991May9.001644.2784@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 9 May 91 00:16:44 GMT
References: <9105081710.AA04272@genbank.bio.net>
Sender: root@agate.berkeley.edu (Charlie Root)
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In article <9105081710.AA04272@genbank.bio.net> GHRIGG01@ulkyvm.bitnet ("Garrett H. Riggs") writes:
>
>Does anyone know of a reference that delineates the mandatory synapses in the
>ascending projections of the auditory system? More specifically, does anyone
>know if the inferior colliculus is a mandatory synapse in this system?
>

the best reference i know for auditory physiology is "An Introduction to the
Physiology of Hearing", by J.O. Pickles.  It will surely have the answer to
this question and many others about auditory physiology.

To give something of an answer myself:  it is hard to say what is really
mandatory.  The Superior Olivary complex is generally assumed to be
responsible for spatial localization.  I've heard recently of work (sorry,
i don't have a reference) where the SOC was lesioned and animals could still
localize!?  

according to pickles, the ic receives input which contains information about
timing (spatial localization) and complex frequency analysis.  it seems to be
a center for both localization and source identification.  as such, it would
seem to be a critical synapse in the ascending pathway.
>Garrett Riggs
>GHRIGG01@ULKYVM.BITNET

bruce
(brp@bandit.berkeley.edu)

bruce
(brp@bandit.berkeley.edu)