Primary auditory cortex

From Psy3242

Location

The primary auditory cortex is located in the temporal lobe on the superior temporal gyrus. Just as the vision is centered around the functioning of V1-V4, hearing is centered around the functioning of specific subsections of the primary auditory cortex (i.e., EE, E1, E2, etc.), with each subsection corresponding to a specific region of the cochlea.

Functionality

Damage to the specific regions of the primary auditory cortex can result in an individual being unable to determine the temporal sequence with which s/he heard certain words. Damage to other regions can inhibit an individual’s ability to process elementary speech sounds, or even music. In fact, the region just posterior to the primary auditory cortex, the Wernicke’s area, is critical to the comprehension of language.

Hearing Basics

The primary auditory cortex can be considered the last step in the complex process of hearing. Vibrating objects push air molecules back and forth, which results in pressure changes called sine waves. These sine waves differ in both speed (frequency) and size (wavelength), and interact with the tissue and bones of the ear to create characteristic fluid waves in the inner ear. The vibrations of these fluid waves stimulate tiny hair cells that generate nerve impulses which, finally, travel to the auditory part of the brain. So basically, hearing is when the ear and the brain work together to convert sine waves into the experience of sound.