ABSTRACT
Ascending auditory fibers from the brainstem synapse in the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) of the thalamus which then projects, via the auditory radiation, to the primary auditory cortex in the temporal lobe. The tonotopic organization of the auditory nerve is preserved in the auditory cortex with isofrequency columns selectively responsive to high-or low-frequency information. On the whole, columns responsive to higher frequencies are located more rostrally. These areas correspond very closely to the cortical areas responsive to speech, such as Wernicke's area.
