Integrative Functions in the Mammalian Auditory Pathway

The biological importance of the auditory system of vertebrates lies in its ability to provide animals with information about where sounds arise and what they mean. The auditory system can alert animals to the presence of danger or prey and, in many animals, serve as a basis for communication. This volume summarizes how the electrical signals used to represent sounds are encoded and interpreted through the integrated roles of various nuclei. This volume builds on the information about the anatomy and physiology of the auditory pathway found in volumes 1 and 2 of the SHAR series. While the first two volumes describe the structure and function of auditory pathways, this volume will explain how these pathways lead to an animal's ability to localize and interpret sounds.