The auditory system

This chapter describes the structure and functioning of the human auditory system. The global architecture of the auditory system is first outlined, followed by a description of the anatomy and physiology of the ear. Particular attention is focused on the cochlea, which converts mechanical vibrations into neural impulses. A description of the low-level and intermediate-level auditory networks along the pathway from ear to cortex follows. The final sections describe the high-level encodings of auditory experience, including mechanisms of auditory recognition.