Processing of Auditory Information by Medial Superior Olivary Neurons.

Abstract : Cells within the medial superior olivary nuclei (accessory nuclei) of cat receive afferents from each cochlear nucleus and project homolaterally by way of the nucleus of the lateral lemniscus to the nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Because of this anatomical arrangement and because of some recent electrophysiological studies on neurons located within it, the accessory nucleus has been implicated as the lowest level of the auditory pathway where binaural interactions occur. Some binaural response properties, as well as pertinent monaural electrophysiological characteristics, of accessory units are presented and discussed.